Naruto no Suiyakuton (Naruto of the Potion Style)
by Trickster67
Summary: Naruto has always had great potential. Potential that is wasted by Konohagakure, that is until a traveling merchant stumbles upon our lonely hero as a child and introduces him and the Elemental Nations to the Suiyakuton and all it's wonders. Follow Naruto on his journey to become a master brewer in Suiyakuton.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! This is a story I've been fumbling around with. Everything has been explained in the intro, so I won't bore you and get straight to the story.

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Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

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It was a rainy day in Konohagakure and it was an unusually heavy downpour for the particularly sunny village. A young man walks down the empty streets of the village, pushing a vendor cart with a tarp over it to keep his good dry. The man would stand out even if it weren't raining, dressed in steampunk attire; complete with glass vials and flasks strapped to his belt. If anyone were to look at him, they may confuse him for a pirate, but he was here strictly on business! Heading towards the academy's administrative office, the young man stumbles upon an odd sight.

In an alley, trying miserably to keep dry, was a small blonde haired boy; with whisker marks on each cheek of all things. Now a part of him told him to keep it moving and ignore the boy; it was very tempting, but he just didn't have the heart. Walking up to the boy he puts on his best smile, "Hello little guy. What's a child like you doing out here in the rain?" the little boy flinches at being noticed and cowers into a corner, "Whatever your problem is, I didn't do anything ok? Just leave me alone, why are adults here so mean to me?"

That confused the young man, why would this kid be so afraid of the adults here? This was turning out to sound really, really complicated and well beyond the scope of why he came here, but his curiosity was getting the best of him. "Relax kid, do I look like a citizen of Konoha to you? Come on, I have brown skin for Kami's sake!" the little boy took a closer look at the young man. His face was diamond shaped and had cocoa brown skin with dark hair. He had a top hat with goggles, a side button white shirt, dark brown frock coat, crimson pants, and brown boots. The little boy had never seen a person quite like the young man and felt like maybe the guy was different from the other adults.

"Ok... My name is Naruto... What's yours?" Naruto asks. The young man looks into his azure eyes and sees nothing but sorrow, loneliness and most of all confusion. It seemed the boy had no one in his life and if one were to go off the boy's fear of adults, the people here did not treat him well, but why?

"My name is Kyoodo Zhi, it's nice to meet you Naruto. Did you know your name means Fishcake?" Kyoodo asks causing the young blonde to puff his cheeks in frustration. "Yeah all the kids in the orphanage used to make fun of me for it!" Kyoodo can't help but chuckle, "Well you have to admit it's funny."

"It is not, Naruto is a cool name! It can also mean maelstrom ya know!" Naruto defends; Kyoodo was starting to like this kid.

"You do have a point there. Well young Maelstrom, I'm on my way to the academy to talk to the Hokage himself and I can't, in all good conscious, leave you out here to get pneumonia. How's about you follow me to the tower and tell me a bit about yourself?" Kyoodo suggests. Naruto gets ecstatic at having someone actually seem to care about him! He also would get to see his Jiji, since he had been kicked out of the orphanage for two weeks now. He had wanted to go to the Hokage as soon as it happened, but the Sandaime had left to renew the peace treaty between Konoha and Kusa and he didn't know when he'd be back. Suddenly, Naruto's stomach growls and Kyoodoo takes a good look at the boy. He looked like he hadn't eaten nor bathed in weeks and it pulled at his heart strings. Unclipping an orbed flask from his belt, "Here drink this, it's really yummy."

Naruto looks suspiciously at the flask of red liquid. Could he trust this guy, with his stomach demanding him to comply, the blonde shrugs and uncorks the bottle and chugs the concoction and can't believe how good it was. Not only did it taste like berries, but it was strangely filling and boosted his energy several folds! He felt like he had just eaten a full course meal in liquid form and taken a soldier pill, not that he knew what those were, all at the same time.

"Whoa that was awesome! Whatever it was I'll put in a good word for you with Jiji!" Naruto says, feeling relieved he'd be seeing the old man. He would surely help Naruto get back into the orphanage. He was sure Tenten was worried about him, in the entire orphanage, only the bun haired girl seemed to care about him. She'd share her food with him when they "forgot" to feed him or ran out of food just as it was his turn. She'd play ninja with him and had pretty good aim with those paper kunai and shuriken.

While the two walked to the academy, Naruto told Kyoodo as much as he could about himself. He told him about his life thus far and how everyone seemed to ignore or scorn him for something. He told him how he never let it get to him and how he'd show them he was going to be Hokage so everyone would acknowledge him, "I understand your dream Naurto-kun. Everyone wants to be acknowledged for something, just make sure that it's for a good reason. It sounds like the people here are hiding something about you. Something that makes them afraid of you, see fear turns to anger and anger turns to hatred. I think they're in the anger stage, but it doesn't take much for it to progress."

A question mark pops from atop Naruto's head as his head cocks to the side cutely. Kyoodoo sighs and reminds himself he's talking to a child, "Ok Naruto what are you afraid of?"

"G-g-ghosts!" Naruto proclaims almost shuddering at the mere thought of them. Now Kyoodoo couldn't help but chuckle, "Hey it's not funny man! You can't touch a ghost, but it can make things float in air and throw them at you! They can hurt you, but you can't hurt them; how scary is that?!"

"Haha alright Naruto-kun I get it. Anyway, you fear ghosts. IF you ever met one and it scared you, you might find yourself getting angry at it for scaring you. What did you do to it to make it scare you? Is it just a jerk or is there a reason? That anger could lead to you hating all ghosts, even the possibly good ones." Kyoodoo explains and can see the light bulb turn on in Naruto's head.

"OOOOOOH I get it now! Gee you sure are smart Kyoodoo-nii-san." Naruto says with a genuine smile. This was the first time he ever talked for so long with any adult besides his Jiji. Kyoodoo noticed the honorific and started to panic a little. Was the kid getting attached to him? He was only here to sell his potions and be on his way; he couldn't afford to have some kid tagging along.

Soon the two make it to the academy and walk up to the receptionist at her desk, "Welcome to the Hokage Tower, my name is Kikyo how may I… Naruto why are you here? You didn't prank this guy did you?" at that Kyoodoo raises an eyebrow and gives Naruto a look. Naruto rubs the back of his head, "Relax Kikyo-chan, this guy is cool. He found me in an alley trying to keep dry."

"What do you mean he found you in an alley? Why weren't you at the orphanage?" Kikyo asks, though she can hazard a guess as to why. In order to work for the Hokage you either had to be indifferent, but preferably nice to Naruto. Kikyo was one of few he honored the Yondaime's last wish and saw the boy as a hero; a mischievous hero, but a hero nonetheless. She saw the sad, lonely little boy he was and made it her mission to always feel welcome.

"I was… Kinda kicked out of the orphanage… Two weeks ago…" Naruto says nervously shocking both Kyoodoo and Kikyo. How had the boy survived on the streets for so long!? Kikyo was shocked and appalled by her fellow villagers; what was next a lynching mob? Kyoodoo was greatly impressed with the boy's will to live. Most kids his age if left alone wouldn't last.

"TWO WEEKS, UZUMAKI NARUTO WHY DIDN'T YOU COME STRAIGHT HERE? I could have easily given you a roof over your head and some food at the very least." Kikyo demands more than asks. Naruto shrank a little under Kikyo's blind fury. None of it was directed at him, but it was still scary.

"Well I didn't want to bother you and Jiji was out of the village… I didn't know what to do so I waited until he came back, but it took so long I got tired of waiting and decided to take care of myself. It wasn't so bad really, the Ichiraku's gave me a few bowls free ramen for a while now." Naruto says. Kikyo was still upset, but at least the boy wasn't starved. Kyoodoo was starting to get suspicious; in his travels he's only seen this kind of treatment for a few group of people. War criminals, traitors, and Jinchuuriki; he never got to know any of them personally, but it wasn't hard to spot one.

"Naruto, you don't have to suffer like that alone. You can come to me, if Hokage-sama isn't available. What kind of person would I be if I just ignored your existence? You're Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage after all." Kikyo states with a warm smile, Naruto wanted to say she'd be like every other adult in the village, but hearing her faith in him made him smile brightly.

"Ok Kikyo-chan. Is Jiji in his office, I kind of need to talk to him and Kyoodoo-nii-san has business to discuss with him." Naruto says.

"Oh I almost forgot about you Kyoodoo-san, please forgive me." Kikyo apologizes, but Kyoodoo just waves her concerns off. She looks through a book and finds his name on the list of people to see the Hokage, "Ah here you are. Yes Hokage-sama is expecting you. Naruto I suggest you be on your best behavior in front of our guest."

Naruto just waves her off, much to her annoyance, and the two walk through the door to the Hokage's office. Kyoodoo is impressed by the complex fuuinjutsu on display. To anyone not trained in the art, it would look like the Hokage was hanging his grandson's idea of art on the wall. "Ah Kyoodo-san I've been… Naruto-kun? What are you doing here, I hope you haven't caused our guest any trouble." The Sandaime says with a sigh. It wouldn't do for ANOTHER merchant to send him paperwork banning Naruto from there shop. It not for the orphanage, the Sandaime wouldn't know how to keep the boy fed since shopping on his own seemed to be an impossibility, _"You would be ashamed of your village Minato-kun…"_

"Why does everyone ask that? Kyoodoo-nii-san is too cool for me to prank." Naruto says with a huff causing both adults to laugh. Once they stopped laughing, Naruto explains how he was kicked out of the orphanage two weeks ago and answered the appalled old man's other questions such as why he looked so malnourished, why his clothes were no more than rags and why hadn't he told him sooner about his abuse. By the end of Naruto's explanation, the Sandaime was livid... He had entrusted the blonde to the orphanage, sent them money for not only the other kids but Naruto as well. Not to mention the money his student Jiraiya would send every week with a letter, but judging by the boy's neglect neither were ever given to him. Maybe he should have let the Toad Sage take the boy after all, damn those Councilors...

"I see... Well Naruto it's safe to say that you won't be returning to the Orphanage. Until I deem you mature enough to live on your own, you will be staying at my manor. We will discuss this in greater detail later. For now, I have a meeting with Kyoodoo-san here concerning some business." the Sandaime says, ushering for the young blonde to leave. Naruto pouts at the thought of having to leave, as the future Hokage he needed to see how to conduct business with people after all.

"Aww come on Jiji, can't I stay and watch? I promise not to bug you guys, I just want to watch Kyoodoo-nii-san at work! He gave me this bottle of red stuff that tasted awesome! Frankly, it's better than the food the orphanage used to give me." Naruto begs even resorting to the Puppy Eye no jutsu to seal the deal. The Sandaime sighs and looks at Kyoodoo for help. The young man just shrugs, "I say what the hell. Do you have a private site we can go to? I doubt my cart will fit in here." The Sandaime gives it some thought and decides one of the unused training grounds would be a good place to see the young man's goods.

**Training ground 9**

The trio made it to an unused training ground with the standard training posts and forests Konoha was known for. Along the way, Kyoodoo noticed the glares directed at Naruto and pretty much confirmed his suspicion, but it was clear the boy had no idea about it. Perhaps the Sandaime was waiting until he was older, but it still seemed like a cruel thing to do to a child. The Sandaime takes a sit on a stump along with Naruto. With his audience in place and the rain finally over Kyoodoo takes off the tarp and reveals all sorts of flasks in various sizes with all sorts of different colored liquids inside them. The Sandaime instantly knew what the young man was selling, "No offense Kyoodoo-san but potions are as old as I am and incredibly outdated. I'm afraid I'm just not interested in investing in a potion shop here in Konoha." The Sandaime says. While not known to most, any would be merchant looking to open shop in Konoha had to be approved by the Hokage first.

"Haha I figured you might feel that way, but allow me to show you the difference between my potions and the potions of old." With that said, Kyoodoo pulls out a knife and cuts his arm deeply, then pulls out a vial and pours its contents out on his arm and they watch as it begins to close the wound. Now the Sandaime was interested, most potions claimed to heal wounds but they all were more like placebos. It was the first time he actually saw one heal a wound before.

"I see I have your attention now. The thing that makes my potions so vastly different is that everything down to the way they are made is done with chakra. I bathe my plants in chakra, I extract using chakra even the flames are made by chakra. By applying certain types and levels of chakra I am able to make potions that range from healing to augmentation. The potion I gave young Naruto is made to boost ones chakra reserves to 45% while also giving them the nutritions they need to perform at their best. I call it Suiyakuton." Kyoodoo explains.

So basically it was an upgraded liquid food pill, "Potion Style eh? What are the side effects to both the potion you gave Naruto and the one you just used."

"The healing potion numbs up the area its applied to but not to where a shinobi couldn't still use it. It's also unsafe to drink the stuff. For the nourishing potion the only side effect occurs when you drink more than four a day and they are... Unpleasant to say the least." Kyoodoo shudders at the thought.

"I see well this has been rather impressive, but do you have a more... Practical potions? As in a more weaponized one." The Sandaime asks.

"I certainly do I wouldn't waste your time with just healing elixir." Kyoodoo says. He digs into his coat pockets and pulls out two glass orb flasks; one a deep crimson the other a light yellow. Uncorking both he splashes two posts with the liquid and the Sandaime is shocked when one bursts into flames and the other is electrified. Kyoodoo chuckles at Naruto's look of awe; it reminded him of when he first came across his style by complete accident.

"Well I'm sold. Before you open up shop I just need you to hold a demonstration in front of the shinobi council and take on an apprentice." The Sandaime explains. He could already see the implications of having a shop stationed in Konohagakure thay sold Katon and Raiton jutsu in a god damn bottle! The surprise element alone could boost survival rates.

"I see no problem with that. I would just need a few weeks to get... Wait why do I need an apprentice? " Kyoodoo asks. He never really thought about taking on an apprentice for the simple fact the Suiyakuton was insanely difficult to grasp let alone master. It took an understanding of botany, fuuinjutsu, chemist and great chakra control just to get started on the basics. The level of difficulty only increased as you got to more advanced potions like the Honoo (Blaze) potion.

"Well it's standard procedure for most if not all merchants to take on an apprentice to help the business. Now I may not know all the details about your style but I can guess that it requires specific plants from specific locations which means you'll be travelling a lot. An apprentice can ensure your orders are still being made while you're away." The Sandaime explains. Kyoodoo had to give it to the Professor since he had some good points. While he didn't intend to take on an apprentice maybe doing so wouldn't be a bad idea.

Meanwhile Naruto was in utter awe at the Suiyakuton effects. It was the coolest thing he had ever seen in his short life! "Look no further Kyoodoo-nii-san, I'm the best apprentice you could ever have!" Kyoodoo sweatdrops at the boy's arrogance and decides to pop his bubble, "Sorry but I don't think you're cut out for this stuff. The Suiyakuton is like an art form and only the most diligent and focused can even hope to grasp it."

"Oh yeah Mr. Smarty Pants? I bet I can learn your Soyakoton or whatever in no time!" Naruto declares. Kyoodoo smirks at the blonde Jinchuuriki, "That so eh? Tell you what I'll hold auditions in two weeks and if you beat all the other kids I'll teach you all I know about Suiyakuton."

"Why do they have to be children?" The Sandaime asks warily; the last thing he needed was another Orochimaru running around.

"The same reason you train children as young as eight to be shinobi, children are easier to teach than adults. Children can spend five or even ten years of their lives learning while adults just don't have the same dedication if they aren't interested in it and even then it takes a lot of effort they don't have." Kyoodoo explains before he throws the tarp back on his cart. Pulling out a large scroll from a holster on his back he unravels it and seals his cart inside it.

"If you're serious about being my apprentice spend the next two weeks studying up on these subjects." Kyoodoo states and hands Naruto a sheet of paper. With that he leaves to parts unknown. Naruto looks at the paper and frowns when he reads what was required.

"What's wrong Naruto-kun I thought you would be happy to have a head start over the other candidates." The Sandaime says. He knew the boy could read, hell he was the one who taught him after the previous head of the orphanage refused to. Needless to say the previous head retired early and it seemed the current one would soon be joining him; Ibiki could be very pervasive.

"I'm not allowed in the library. The lady never lets me in and throws book at me calling me a demon brat." Naruto says sullenly. _"Maybe I'll let Anko-chan have this one. I hear the librarian has a terrifying fear of snakes..__." _the Sandaime grins Scilly and freaks Naruto out. It kind of reminded him of when he was about to pull off a prank but much darker.

"Don't worry Naruto-kun. Yoy won't have any problems after today. I'll even go with you to recommend the best scrolls for you to get." The Sandaime says warmly at his surrogate grandson. The blonde Jinchuuriki beams with delight and jumps up and down cheering, "Yeah I'm one step closer to being Hokage Dattebayo!" The Professor simply chuckles at the boy's spirit. He reminded him so much of his mother it was scary. That's when he decided to give the boy even more incentive.

"Say Naruto-kun, remember how you asked me about tour parents and I told you I would tell you when I thought you could handle it?" The Sandaime says getting a hopeful look from Naruto. There was no way he could tell him about his father, but his mother was a different story. While a fierce kunoichi she didn't have a SS ranking in the Bingo Books.

Any orphan would kill for the chance to know even the name of their parents and Naruto was no different, "Does that mean I'm finally mature enough to know about them?"

"Not yet I'm afraid but if you get the apprenticeship under Kyoodoo-san I will tell you your mother's name and where you can find information on her. Your father will have to wait until you are Chunin at least." The Sandaime promises and watches the fire in Naruto burn even brighter than before.

"You got a deal Jiji, there's no way I'm going to fail now! Let's get started already!" Naruto yells dragging the Sandaime to the library like a rag doll. It didn't take long for them to reach the library and when Naruto walked through the door the glare he recieved could melt steel, "What did I tell you about demons not being allowed to learn?" The killer intent that washed over him was enough to bring him to his knees, when he looks up he sees a livid Sandaime.

"Naruto-kun go sit down while I talk to this ungrateful civilian." The Sandaime growls lowly. Naruto can sense the huge piles of shit the guy was in and decides to leave quickly. "Anbu, I believe this man has a date with Anko-chan. Make sure she shows him her snake summons." the Sandaime commands. Appearing from the shadows, an Anbu appears and grabs the man before he pulls him into the shadows kicking and screaming for mercy.

With that taken care of, the Sandaime walks up to Naruto and asks for the list he was given. He reads it to find that it has fuuinjutsu, botany, chemistry and chakra control written on it. The Sandaime begins to gather the necessary scrolls for our blonde hero, who sits and sighs at the thought of all the reading he'd have to do, but he would do whatever it took to learn about his parents. He would become the greatest at Suiyakuton and show everyone he was worth their love and admiration.

**Two weeks later, Chunin Exam Arena...**

It was a clear and sunny day in Konohagakure and the infamous Shinobi Council, along with the Hokage's advisors sat in the arena looking down at a supposed merchant with a unique product. None of them expected anything special just the standard merchant trying to start a business. They found it out the demonstration was being held at the arena but it beat doing it in the dreary Council Chambers.

The Sandaime along with young Naruto sat in the Kage booth waiting for the show to start. In the two weeks since he began his path to Suiyakuton, Naruto made some progress. He already had an interest in botany so he found the scrolls on that to be fun and learned about local plants in Konoha. The chemistry scrolls were by far the hardest thing he had ever read, he knew he would need some practical example to go off of before he learned anything. It was fuuinjutsu where he shined the most. He was nowhere near making his own seals but he could understand the material and was working on his calligraphy.

Kyoodoo lays out all the materials he would need. A few flasks filled with chemicals, some medium sized scrolls and a clone of himself. This told the audience he was no ordinary merchant and must have either been a shinobi or was taught the arts by a shinobi. Hiashi was weary of the man due to his dark skin, a common trait of people from Lightning Country.

Without further delay, Kyoodoo has his clone open the scroll as he holds the tiger hand seal and unleashes a torrent of flames at the clone. The flames are sucked inside the scroll until a kanji for fire appears in its center. Then the dark skinned man goes through a series of handseals, "Suiyakuton: Shuuren! (Potion Style: Extraction)"

Holding both palms out, his hands are lit ablaze with chakra that spirals counter clockwise and draws out the contents of the scroll but instead of fire a red liquid comes out and floats towards Kyoodoo. Once its close enough he uses his chakra to twirl the liquid like a spinning drill and rids it of impurities as black liquid comes flying off it. Once the liquid is free of impurities, he sends his chakra into the flasks and controls the chemicals inside to rise. Then he combines them with the red liquid and places the new concoction inside a clean flask.

Putting a cork on the flask, Kyoodoo tosses it at the great oak tree. On impact the entire tree is engulfed in an explosive fire that reduces it to ash in mere seconds. The audience is left speechless at the display before them. The dark skinned man takes a bow and the mutterings begin in full volume as discussions were being held, "I thought Hokage-sama said he was a potion brewer?" "What in the world was that? I didn't know potions could be used like that." "What is the Suiyakuton he spoke of?" the Sandaime could only whistle while Naruto was even more determined to learn Suiyakuton. After all the discussions were done, the council was in full agreement in allowing Kyoodoo to sell his potions in Konoha, Inoichi and Shikaku even decided to send their kids to try for an apprenticeship with the man.

"Thank you esteemed members of the Shinobi Council for allowing me to set up shop here in Konohagakure. I swear to bring even more prosperity to this great village and strive to help the shinobi, who risk their lives, a fighting chance at survival with my potions." Kyoodoo states before he seals all his equipment and leaves via Shunshin (Body Flicker).

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Well I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Next chapter will feature Naruto, Ino and Shikamaru learning about the various steps to learning Suiyakuton. Who will get the apprenticeship and rock the Elemental Nations? Stay tuned to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow this story already got reviewed and I just posted it! I guess that means my idea is creative and as original as you can get on Fan fiction. To tell the truth the idea to this story came to me at an anime convention I went to not even a week ago called Shinboku Con. I bought a potion bottle, the orb kind you can strap to your pants and instantly felt awesome! Then I thought why not write a story combining potions with fuuinjutsu? I figured it was within reason since you have the ability to seal just about anything in the Naruto verse, how this will work will be explained in this chapter. Note that I'm updating this on both my phone and laptop so updates should be weekly hopefully. I work 2nd shifts 8 hours a day 5 days a week on top of College Homework.

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Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

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News of Kyoodoo's elemental potions soon hit the pubs frequented by Shinobi of Chunin and above. Many were skeptical of the rumors going around about the mysterious potion vendors. I mean how could someone bottle up fire, or lightning? The whole 'Believe it when I see it' mentality truly applied, but it didn't deter the dark skinned man. Instead of just buying a vacant building, Kyoodoo decided to take a vacant lot and build from the ground up. This being mostly because he needed a certain amount of space and a specific location with fertile soil for planting the seeds he had been collecting from all over the world.

To ensure the best products for his Shinobi, the Sandaime allowed Kyoodoo full access to Konoha's own greenhouse at a fair renting price. The dark skinned man had just enough money to begin setting up shop and pay his rent for the next three months, so he had until then to find his apprentice.

Since he lacked a building to hold auditions, the Sandaime allowed him to use the Academy after classes were out. So here we find our blonde hero, along with Shikamaru, Ino, and even Tenten along with several other civilian children at the Academy. After Kyoodoo's demonstration Naruto told his only friend all about it and how she should go to the audition with him. Even though that meant more competition he wanted her there to share in the experience. The dark skinned man was surprised by the turn out, but was pleased nonetheless. The rumors must have a lot of people curious and curiosity was a good thing for business.

Getting started, Kyoodoo sketches a sealing array on the board, "Good afternoon, my name is Kyoodoo and you all will be competing for the chance to be my apprentice as I'm sure you all know. What you don't know is Suiyakuton is derived from four aspects. The main aspect is fuuinjutsu or the art of sealing. It is a type of jutsu that seals objects, living beings, chakra and a variety of other things into another object. It is through this that Suiyakuton is made possible." Kyoodoo explains. Once his sealing array was complete he asks the candidates to identify which seal it was. Most of them look puzzling at the weird scribble, while Naruto and Tenten raise their hands.

"You, the panda looking girl what is the name of this seal?" Kyoodoo asks. Tented huffs in annoyance at yet another person making fun of her hair but answers, "That is a storage seal Kyoodoo-sensei." The dark skinned man was impressed she knew even that. True the storage seal was one of the most basic, kids her age shouldn't know about it. He also noticed Naruto knew the seal as well; maybe this would be more fun than he thought.

"It seems we have some fuuinjutsu enthusiasts here, the better you understand fuuinjutsu the better you'll be at Suiyakuton. However, there are three more aspects you have to be just as good in if you want to learn the style. Those are chemistry, botany, and chakra control." Kyoodoo explains as he writes a bubble chart for Suiyakuton on the board.

"What's chakra?" A random civilian asks. Kyoodoo sweatdrops and reminds himself he is talking to kids too young for the Academy. Instead of answering himself, he decides to test Naruto and asks him what it is.

"Chakra is the combination of physical energy from the body and spiritual energy from the mind. It allows us to do things otherwise deemed impossible such as breathing fire." Naruto says oversimplifying it but getting the gist of it. Kyoodoo nods and begins to sketch a far more advanced seal.

"This seal is not shown in any scroll or even textbooks. It is a seal of my own design and allows me to perform my Suiyakuton. It is called the Configuration seal and as it name suggests, it takes anything sealed within it and arranges its molecules into a liquid form. From there chakra control is used to extract the new liquid form and is purged of impurities by twirling or rotating it. Finally chemicals are added to the brew to either increase it's potency or add to it. Botany is used beforehand to make the potions from herbs and all of this is done using chakra. Even the growing of herbs is done with chakra to help nurture certain effects." Kyoodoo explains. He knew he lost most of them at Configuration but that was fine. He wanted to weed out the hopeless cases by essentially throwing them in the deep end and seeing who drowned.

At the same time he oversimplified the Configuration seal to at least give those who were beginning to learn seals a chance. The seal had various seals inside the array such as security seals, storage seals, fail-safe seals, the actual configuration seal, converting seals and his chakra and sealing signature to make a level six seal or a six layered seal. He started today's lesson by sketching each seal inside the array individually and handing each candidate a scroll on seals. Their task was to find each seal, identify it, then practice their calligraphy until they could sketch the necessary seals perfectly.

It was the end of the session before any of them could even find one of the seals. Surprisingly it was Tenten who found one of the security seals and identified it as the Cloak and Dagger seal, a seal that would render everything associated with it invisible if the user so chooses. She could accurately count at least three other security seals but couldn't identify them. Kyoodoo gave each of them the suggestion to practice their calligraphy and left in a swirl of red liquid.

As the kids were leaving to go home, Naruto approach Tenten, "Man you were awesome Tenten-chan! I didn't know you knew about fuuinjutsu." The bun haired girl blushes at the praise and smiles at her friend.

"Thanks Naruto-kun, I only started reading up on it a few weeks ago. I tried to be a medic-nin like my idol Tsunade, but didn't make it into the program. I started studying other famous kunoichi and came across Uzumaki Kushina aka the Bloody Whirlpool. She was infamous for her kenjutsu and fuuinjutsu said to be on par with the Yondaime." Tenten says with a dreamy look on her face. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if this Uzumaki Kushina and himself were related but shrugged it off. If he were related to such a strong person his Jiji would tell him.

"Whoa that must have made her a fuuinjutsu master or something. Does that mean you want to be one too? Maybe we can both become fuuinjutsu master's together! I wouldn't mind your help with my calligraphy; it kinda sucks..." Naruto admits with a sheepish laugh. Tenten giggles at her male friend and takes him up on his request for help. When she asks where he was staying now she was utterly shocked to find out he stayed at the Hokage Manor of all places!

Once they reached the manor, the two kids dove right into their studies. Naruto would split his time between working on his calligraphy and having Tenten test him on the seals she knew and showed him. The two strangely had a great time with their studies, finding fuuinjutsu as something they were both interested in. They laughed when Naruto made doodles out of the seals and was just clowning around when they took breaks from their studies. The Sandaime watched with a warm smile on his face seeing the children be children.

It almost broke his heart to know in a matter of a year or so they would be trained to be weapons. Or did they? They weren't at war anymore and training kids at the age of eight or nine might lead to more Itachi's running around. Maybe the starting age for the Academy should be twelve and end at sixteen; that was within his power.

After hours of study it was time for Tenten to go and the two friends hugged as the Hokage had an Anbu escort the girl back to the orphanage. The current head had requested Naruto be sent back, but the Sandaime denied it not wanting to take the chance of prejudice. That night Naruto slept like a rock from studying so much.

The following month was pretty much the same thing. Naruto would go to the Suiyakuton sessions and get just a little better at identifying the various seals inside the Configuration seal along with Tenten and surprisingly Shikamaru, who viewed fuuinjutsu as a puzzle. A troublesome puzzle but a puzzle nonetheless. Between the three of them, they identified the lock security seal, the chakra converter seal, the elemental converter seal, the anti-forgery security seal, and the chakra recognition security seal. Many of the candidates found this too hard and stopped coming, but the ones who were determined enough managed to identify one or two seals.

In the calligraphy department, Ino shined the most as she could successfully sketch a storage seal, a lightning seal, and a single barrier seal. Tenten was second being able to make a storage seal and a fire seal, while Naruto was third being able to make a storage seal. Now just because they could sketch the seals didn't mea they knew what was required to activate the damn things. Kyoodoo was much to responsible to teach eight to ten year olds how to activate seals; they couldn't even use chakra yet. No for now it was strictly just sketching them.

Today he would be going over how to mix herbs to get potions, "Alright my little pupils, instead of explaining how to do this aspect and boring you to death I'll just get right into it so pay attention." He starts with a clean jar that has a tight fitting lid and fresh herbs of your choice. He explains that fresh material is always preferred but availability is determined by local bio-region, climate, etc and many quality herbs may not be available. If one cannot locate fresh materials, be sure to get good quality, organic herbs from a reputable supplier. Then he chops the herbs finely. Then puts it in the glass jar. Next, he pours Vodka over the herbs, completely covering the herbal material. He explains a good ratio for fresh material is 1 part herb to 3 parts alcohol. After that, he covers with tight fitting lid and makes sure to place a plastic bag sandwiched between the lid and the jar. This will prevent rust contamination from spoiling the extract. Shakes it well and places the jar in a sealing scroll and allows the herbs to soak or macerate for 2 to 3 hours. While waiting for the herbs to soak, he instructs the class to study up on the herbs known to grow in Konoha. Once the time is up he unseals the herbs and uses chakra to siphon and extract the active constituents from the herbs. Then he uses chakra to squeeze the cloth and extracts every last drop from it into a large flask. Then he pours the tincture into smaller flasks and corks each one before sealing it in scrolls.

"That is essentially the process used to make potions. Note that each potion requires different herbs and these herbs need to be extracted in different ways. The following potions I just made are among the most basic. They make the Nourishing potions and without adding more chakra and chemicals to them, their effect only gives your body the nutrients it needs. Drinking it will be like eating a balanced meal and will fill you up like one too. I find that it tastes like berries, but I could be wrong. Now then, I want all of you to study up on various herbs and be able to name at least five by tomorrow." Kyoodoo explains before he leaves in a swirl of red liquid. With his demonstration over, the session comes to an end and everyone leaves. Some, like Ino and Naruto with excitement at the thought of making potions from herbs, while the others just groan. Come tomorrow, even more would drop out of the program, but those that did simply weren't cut out to use Suiyakuton.

Before Ino could make her way home, she is stopped by Naruto, "Hey Ino do ya have a minute?" Even though she was kind of in a hurry to get home and tell her parents all about what she learned, she figured it would be rude to not at least see what the blonde boy wanted. So with a shrug she gave Naruto the floor to speak. Our blonde hero was, for once, nervous about his request. Ino was after all a Clan kid and Clan kids only hung out with other Clan kids, why would she want to hang out with some nobody orphan?

"Well... I was wondering... If it's not too much trouble I mean. If you wanted to study together? I mean your family owns a flower shop, so I'm sure you have access to a lot of different plants." Naruto asks sheepishly. Ino thought about the proposal for a minute. She didn't really have any reason not to agree and maybe having someone there would help her stay focused. So with a shrug she agrees and Naruto can't contain his excitement!

Once the two reach Ino's house, the blonde girl runs over to her father and gives him a hug, "I had so much fun today Tou-san! I have the best calligraphy among the candidates and we're focusing on botany now." Inoichi smiles at his baby girl and beams with pride. Naruto can't help the waves of jealousy inside his heart. How he wished he had a father to look at him with pride.

"Oh I almost forgot a friend of mine wanted to study with me Tou-san. His name is Naruto." Ino says. The smile on Inoichi's face is wiped off his face. Now he knew the boy wasn't the Kyuubi, but with the way the villagers treated him, there was too much of a risk he might go berserk and he wasn't about to put his little girl in danger.

"I'm sorry Ino-chan but your little friend has to go. We have a lot of studying to do and we wouldn't want your competition to gain an edge." Inoichi says ushering Naruto out of the house. Ino couldn't believe her father was so mean to Naruto. Even if they were competing it wouldn't hurt to let him stay. Naruto held his head down in hurt. It seemed like even the Clan heads didn't like Naruto, the sense of loneliness was too much and the blonde Jinchuuriki ran aimlessly. Every time he passed a villager he could hear them scorn him and wish he would just disappear and that's all he wanted to do. He wanted to disappear and never have to deal with all this hatred.

Incidentally, Naruto ended up running to Konoha's greenhouse where a certain dark skinned man was just about to leave. The two collided into each other and upon seeing the state Naruto was in Kyoodoo could only sigh, "What's wrong?"

"Why?... Why does everyone hate me so much? What did I ever do to deserve their scorn, their loathing?" Naruto cries, hot tears pouring down his face. He didn't care that he was crying in front of Kyoodoo he just couldn't hold it in anymore. Kyoodoo sighs deeply, he may have been new to the village but whispers of the 'demon brat' reached his ears and he pretty much figured it out himself.

"Do you really want to know?" Kyoodoo asks. He never understood why no one ever told the kid of his burden; it just seemed cruel to him. He was familiar with the law that forbid anyone to tell the younger generation of Naruto's status including Naruto, but if he didn't come out and say you're the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi and let Naruto figure it out then he wasn't breaking the law; though he didn't care if he did break.

'YES! I'm tired of not knowing why... I... I need to know." Naruto declares. He didn't know how much more he could take before he went insane! Kyoodoo thought about how he should word this.

"Ok but you have to listen well and try to figure it out without my help. What do you know about Bijuu?" Kyoodoo asks seeing how much the boy knew.

"I know the Kyuubi was one. They are basically chakra monsters or beings made of sheer chakra." Naruto explains not really seeing the point in all the cryptic message.

"Correct and that means you can't kill one. No matter how powerful you are, you can't kill chakra because it's literally life itself." Kyoodoo explains seeing the gears turn in the boy's head.

"I guess but what happened to it then? It's been eight years since anyone has seen it. I'm pretty sure it's too big to seal in a scroll... Wait a minute..." a look of horror was etched on Naruto's face as realization sunk in. The Kyuubi attacked and vanished on his birthday, the villagers' treatment towards him and the way they called him demon brat, he was a Jinchuuriki! He had read about them in his fuuinjutsu scrolls since sealing Bijuu was considered a level eight to ten seal only seal masters could perform.

"Oh my Kami... So that's why I'm hated... Those... Baka! That's like saying a scroll become a kunai once you seal one in it!" Naruto roars with anger. He couldn't believe grown adults would take their frustration out on a kid who didn't even ask for any of this!

"Glad you understand that much. I find it hard to believe myself, but getting mad at them will only prove their point. If you want them to see you for Naruto and not the Kyuubi then keep calm and rise up. Become a shinobi worth their admiration. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get ready for the session tomorrow." Kyoodoo says before he leaves in his Suiyaku Shunshin.

Naruto stood there and thought about what Kyoodoo said. Would he become the monster everyone thought him to be or would he rise above it and become the hero he was always meant to be? Did he even want the villagers' admiration anymore? He couldn't figure it out right now but one thing he knew was that he was not the Kyuubi. He was Uzumaki Naruto! With that thought in mind, he ran to the Hokage's Manor ready to continue is journey as the next Suitakuton user.

The next day Naruto sat in his usual seat and waited for thr session to begin. He was still a bit bummed out by the fact Ino's father kicked him out, no doubt because of the whole being the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi thing. So imagine his surprise when Ino came up to him, "Hey Naruto... I just wanted to say sorry for yesterday. I don't know what my Tou-san's deal was, but I don't see a problem with us helping each other, so here." She handed him a sheet of paper with all the plants she had found at her family's flower shop.

Naruto couldn't believe she wanted to help him still. It gave him hope that he could gain a new friend, _"That is until she finds out about the giant fox in my gut..."_ he thanked Ino for, who told him not to make a big deal about it. Once Kyoodoo walks in he begins his session by quizzing everyone on local herbs grown in Konoha. He wasn't surprised when Ino could name most of them and Naruto could name a few. After that he went the process of extracting herbs for an elemental potion and described the herbs used and how they were able to do what they did.

Naruto took down notes and even tied fuuinjutsu in by drawing kanji for the herbs used. After the discussion was over Kyoodoo left them to their owb devices and Ino and Tenten decided to see what Naruto had wrote down. The three of them studied together using Ino's knowledge of botany, Tenten's knowledge of fuuinjutsu and Naruto's creativity.

The next few weeks saw improvement for the trio. Thanks to Ino's knowledge on botany they were able to distinguish between the fresh herbs and the poisonous ones. They could also identify the herbs needed to make the Nourishing potion. After the sessions, the trio would hand out at the park and just play together. Shikamaru even joined them from time to time especially after the chakra control exercises began. The order went Shikamaru, who had the best control, Tenten was next, then Ino and lastly Naruto. The blonde's chakra was the first to discover his chakra though. When it came to the leaf balancing skill, the four of them would pass the time cloud watching. Ino thought it was boring and just Shikamaru being lazy, to which the lazy Nara just shrugged.

After that they started studying chemistry and obviously Shikamaru lead the group in the subject. Kyoodoo explained that the chemicals were necessary only for the elemental potions. The chemicals gave the elemental potions their reactions. Naruto would mix the wrong chemicals and get an explosive reaction. He's had it where the room had to be cleared due to all the smoke. He was by far the worst at chemistry, something his friends constantly teased him about. By the time the three months were up he was the best at fuuinjutsu, second in calligraphy, last in both chakra control and chemistry and second in botany.

Ino was the best at botany, third at fuuinjutsu, first in calligraphy, second at chakra control and third at chemistry. Tenten was second in fuuinjutsu, third in botany, third in calligraphy, third in chakra control and second at chemistry. Shikamaru was the best at chakra control and chemistry, last in calligraphy, fuuinjutsu, and botany. Only those four remained in the end and for the final session they would have to make their own potion. They had been studying theory for three months now and it was time for them to put it into practice.

Naruto worked diligently to form a potion he had been researching for about two months now. He extracted the right herbs, added the necessary chakra into the brew and sketches the seals perfectly. His seals were the chakra converter seal and the reverse cloak and dagger seal, the herbs he uses naturally can camouflage and the chemicals, he hoped anyway, were designed to add to the effects. Going through the entire process as carefully as he can, Naruto finishes his potion, which is a clear like brew. Shikamaru's brew was black, Ino's was purple and Tenten's was green.

"Alright I want each of you to demonstrate your potions and tell me their names." Kyoodoo directs. First up is Shikamaru, "How troublesome... My potion is called the Kage Shuukai (Shadow Rally), observe." Tossing the bottle on the ground, it shatters and a new shadow forms where the bottle shattered. It was an ingenious brew, combining all the right chemicals and herbs, along with great chakra control to form shadows from nowhere. This would greatly help his clan, but Kyoodoo knew he had that in mind. His potion would only benefit his clan and the dark skinned man needed to expand his demographic; plus he lacked the motivation to take it seriously.

Next up was Ino, "MY potion is called Koo Kessei (Antiserum), I would show it, but it requires I poison one of you. It basically can cure local poisons and lessen the effects of foreign poisons based on the ones I could research." her potion was a mixture of various herbs and chakra control along with a poison extraction seal. Kyoodoo could see the importance in having an antidote for various poisons, but he could easily teach any of them how to make stronger versions of hers. Next was Tenten, "My potion is called the Yuuki (Valor) potion!" taking a swig of her brew, her muscles strengthen and Tenten punches a crater in the floor with little effort. Kyoodoo knew exactly what her potion was made of and it was a double edged sword. It was like opening the gates, though not as sever.

Finally it was Naruto's turn, "Um... My potion is called Kakusu (Conceal) potion." uncorking it, he nervously pours it all over himself and to the shock of everyone, even Kyoodoo, the boy completely vanishes. "It's supposed to conceal you completely, even down to your scent, but I haven't been able to test it yet." It was the most original of the four's potions. It definitely had tons of applications, he could only chuckle. The kid said he would make his apprentice.

"Congratulations Naruto, you are from this day forward my apprentice." Kyoodoo says. Ino feels defeated but pats Naruto on the back, Shikamaru just shrugs and Tenten cheers for her friend! Kyoodoo instructs the other three to continue to study up on fuuinjutsu and chakra control at the very least. He can see them all advancing in the ranks just due to all they've done in his sessions. It would be a shame to waste all that potential, but Naruto had more potential than any of them did. He had what it took to take Suiyakuton to the next level.

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Well there's the second chapter! Now I have a bit of a problem. I can't decide what the pairing will be. While I'm a fan of NaruHina, I can see Naruto with a number of girls. With that in mind, I'm giving you all a chance to decide what the pair (as in one girl) will be. You can pick from ANY of the ladies in the Naruto verse, just leave a review telling me who she is and why and I'll consider it. This will be a review only, no polls and will be going for about two or so more chapters before I make my decision. Hope you enjoyed the second chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Keep those reviews coming! I like how I've been given suggestions regarding the pairing. So far it seems like people want NaruIno which is odd because I personally don't like the pairing. That is, if we're going by canon Ino and Naruto. Canon Ino annoys me and is even more useless than Sakura! I'll try to stick to their characters a little bit, but this is an AU so expect to see the characters act OOC. That means a smart, yet goofy, Naruto, a not an asshole power hungry lunatic Sasuke and a not bitch Ino. In regards to Sasuke, he won't be bashed basically since too many people do that. I was originally going to bash him because I don't like his character, but I figured it would be a challenge to make his character likable and see if I can pull it off. Anyway onto the story!

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Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

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It was your typical sunny day in Konohagakure, in the abandoned Uchiha District we find the last loyal Uchiha. Sasuke was busy practicing his shurikenjutsu in one of the Uchiha training grounds. He was driven by his sole purpose to hate his brother and avenge his clan. He would toss his shuriken and nail the targets with practiced ease, but it still wasn't good enough for him. Suddenly, a kunai comes shooting out of the trees just outside the Uchiha walls and aims to pierce Sasuke's heart. The young Uchiha deflects it with his shuriken and throws some from where he saw the kunai being thrown.

Out of the trees shoots an Anbu with a blank mask. Said Anbu rushes Sasuke with a kunai in hand, so the last Uchiha pulls out his own. He held little hope in defeating his attacker, but he would be damned if he went down without a fight! The two clashed in a series of slashes and stabs that echoed throughout the empty District. Soon the Anbu overpowered Sasuke and hits him with a front kick to the solar plexus. The wind is knocked out of him and he drops his kunai from the impact. The Anbu unleashes a series of front and side kicks that pepper the Uchiha all over his body until the boy can barely stand up.

"W...Who are you?..." the Uchiha asks before he passes out from all the pain. The Anbu picks him up, takes him to his home and vanishes in a swirl of pink smoke.

**Two months later...**

Naruto had been experiencing a hell of his own. Turns out Kyoodoo was a real slavedriver, he demanded perfection from his apprentice. It had been two months since Naruto became his apprentice and it was nonstop training from then on. The first thing he learned was to NEVER speak Kyoodoo's training and what he went through on a daily basis was enough of a reason for him to never speak of it. All he ever told Ino and the others was it was child abuse and cry anime tears whenever they brought it up. The four of them remained good friends even though they weren't competing anymore. Tenten lost her shit when Naruto told her who his mother was, though he couldn't blame her really. He didn't react any differently.

**Flashback, two months ago...**

Naruto waved to Kikyo as he went to the Hokage's office. She didn't even bother trying to stop him, having gotten accustomed to the boy's rather rude behavior concerning the village leader. She knew if the Hokage wanted to, he would straighten him out. So if the Sandaime didn't, why should she? For once Naruto was nervous walking to the Hokage's office. It was the moment he had spent months, no years, waiting for. He would finally find out about his parents, or at least his mother. He knocked on the door, wanting to be as polite as possible. He was told to come in after hearing what sounded like something going poof? Shaking his head, he entered the office and found it as clean and organized as ever. He wasn't surprised to see the paperwork mostly done and stacked up and the old Kage smoking from his pipe.

"Ah Naruto-kun, I heard you made apprentice. I'm so proud of you and can't say I'm surprised. The Will of Fire burns brightly in you and you have great potential inside you, but I'm sure you're not here to hear me praise you. No, you're here for our deal no?" The Sandaime said with a smile. Naruto just nodded his head, not trusting his words at that moment. This was it, he would finally have a name to go off of. His heart pounded in his chest and his nerves were going crazy!

"Your mother was a beautiful woman Naruto-kun and I know for a fact she loved you. She was ecstatic when she found out she was pregnant with you. Her and Uchiha Mikoto were even talking about having play dates with you and Mikoto's son Sasuke. Anyway, her name was Uzumaki Kushina and she was as fierce as she was beautiful." The Sandaime said, reminiscing to the times the young red head was still alive. Naruto couldn't believe what he had just heard, Uzumaki Kushina THE Bloody fucking Whirlpool was his mother?!

"Before you go on a rant of 'You should have known a long time ago' remember who your mother was. She was a renowned fuuinjutsu expert and an infamous kunoichi. She even had a proceed with caution order from Kumo and an extra bounty for anyone who could capture her alive and take her there. Hell she was almost kidnapped as a child. If word got out that Kushina had a son, Kumo might send forces to come get you and I couldn't allow that." The Sandaime explained. Naruto deflated at that. He could understand the old Kage's reasoning, but that didn't mean he had to like it. They spent the rest of the day just taking about Kushina and never had Naruto felt so close and yet so distant. At the end of the day, the Sandaime handed Naruto a scroll his mother held dear to her called The History of Uzushiogakure along with her family scrolls.

**Flashback end...**

It was a heartfelt moment when Naruto found out about the fall of his clan. He wanted to hate Iwa and Kumo but the people responsible for his home village's destruction were most likely long since dead and hating them would get him nowhere. It was like Kyoodoo had told him once, "When seeking revenge, be sure to dig two graves." what he gathered from that was revenge leads to the destruction of both people involved. In the two months since he became an apprentice his knowledge of fuuinjutsu was making good progress. Out of the ten levels he was a mere level one, but Kyoodoo said he was making good strides to becoming a level two. The dark skinned man himself was a level six going on seven which is impressive since the legendary Jaraiya was a level eight going on nine and the Yondaime, along with Kushina, were level tens.

We find our blonde hero in a dense forest looking all around him with his senses alert. Kyoodoo was somewhere in the forest and it was Naruto's job to track him using the chakra signature he left on him. He had out a scroll with a tracking seal sketched on it and whenever the seal glowed it meant he was close. Suddenly, the seal glows brightly and not a second later a hail of kunai rains down on the blonde Jinchuuriki. Thinking swiftly, he pulls out a storage scroll and unravels it and applies chakra to it. The hail of kunai are sealed inside the scroll as it closes itself and Naruto pockets it in another storage seal on his pants. The first thing Kyoodoo taught him was how to apply storage seals to his clothes through sewing.

"Katon: Sutoriimu (Fire Release: Stream)!" From the tree tops, a jet of flames shoots towards Naruto, who jumps to evades and throws a kunai where the flames originate from. The flames stop and a figure leaps from the trees and goes through a series of hand seals, "Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)!" from beneath Naruto's feet a wall with owl sculptures protruding from it rises from the ground and launches the blonde in the air. Basically a sitting duck, the figure goes through several more hand seals, "Suiyakuton: Sekka (Potion Release: Mineralization)!" Pulling out a potion bottle of tannish liquid, the figure adds his chakra to it and hurls it at Naruto. The contents pour all over Naruto and turn him into a living statue.

The figure, now clearly Kyoodoo, walks over to the statue of Naruto and pours another potion on him. The effects take a while, but Naruto turns back into flesh and bone. "Now what did we learn?" Naruto was all to used to this type of treatment. The sad part about it was this was nothing compared to what the dark skinned man USUALLY considered training. That type of training filled Naruto's nightmares with nightmares.

"That you're a sadist." Naruto says, only to recieve a bop on the head for his smart ass reply. Kyoodoo didn't enjoy putting Naruto through hell, but it had to be done. Besides it's not like he had him do things he himself wouldn't do. With their training done for the day, Kyoodoo and Naruto spent the rest of the morning searching for herbs to start making more potions. Business had been rather slow since he opened up shop, but he expected that. Business would surely bloom once Naruto started the Academy in a year so Kyoodoo had to make sure Naruto was up to snuff.

In the two months since he became his apprentice, his chakra control was at a point where the blonde could balance rocks on his fingers using nothing but chakra for at least an hour. His training in tree climbing was slow, but steady since he couldn't fight on vertical surfaces for no more than ten seconds. He had to cut him SOME slack seeing as he was only seven years old and his chakra was still developing. He just needed more time was all and unknown to him, he would have five years to train our young hero.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was on edge, but that was normal for our young Uchiha. Ever since that day two months ago, the mysterious Anbu would return at random and kick his ass like no tomorrow. No matter what he did, where he was, or who he reported it to, the Anbu would strike when he least expected it. Sometimes he would go days without an attack and sometimes an attack would happen just as he let his guard down. The Anbu the Hokage stationed to watch the boy only made the Anbu more creative in how she attacked him. Sometimes it would be leaving a message in his food that said it was poisoned. Somestimes he would get attacked in the bathroom, or just as the Anbu would switch shifts; it was maddening! He thought it might be Itachi coming to finish him off, but he ruled that out when he discovered his attacker was a woman. He learned that after a particularly bad ass whooping when the Anbu simply said, "You're getting better at this."

True to her word, Sasuke was getting better by leaps and bounds. Having to constantly be on the look out, the young Uchiha saw the random attacks as extra training because each time he fought her, he would get just a little better at defending himself. Today was not unlike any other day, his senses were on high alert as the Anbu station to watch him left for the day. Not even a second later, the telltale sign of a kunai flying at him told him he was under attack. He could scream for the Anbu, but then his attacker would simply vanish and the Anbu would think he's crying Shinobi and be a little more lax in their duties.

Sasuke catches the kunai by the ring, twirls it on his finger and throws it at his attacker, who just bats it away with a mallet. That was another thing, she used a FUCKING mallet of all things and she used it well. Sasuke pulls out a kunai and rushes the Anbu as the two begin a dance of mallet and kunai. Every stab and slash the Uchiha threw was countered or evaded with the grace of a predator. With a 360 twirl, the Anbu whacks Sasuke in the side with her mallet and sends him tumbling along the ground before he rights himself just in time to avoid being crushed under her mallet. The force of the impact leaves a crater where the Uchiha once stood.

Sasuke pulls out a crossbow he had on him and fired several bolts with precise aim. The Anbu uses her massive mallet to block the bolts, allowing Sasuke to get behind her in a matter of seconds. "Katon: Gookakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" from his mouth a nice sized fireball engulfs the Anbu and leaves a crater in the ground. When the smoke settles all the Uchiha sees are ashes. He smiles triumphantly, "I was almost barbecued there. Good thing I know the Kawarimi right?" with that she roundhouse kicks him in the face. The Uchiha tumbles on the ground before he rights himself yet again and wipes the blood from his face.

Sasuke runs at the Anbu, who just waits for him to engage. She is surprised when he runs right past her and into the forest. The Anbu stalks her prey into the forest until Sasuke stops running and throws several shuriken at the advancing Anbu. She easily side steps the porrly thrown shuriken, somewhat disappointed in the boy, until she feels ninja wires wrap her around a tree. One wire is connected to Sasuke's teeth as he goes through a series of hand seals.

"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)!" Sasuke roars before unleashing a flame that travels the wire straight for the Anbu. The flames engulf of and the Uchiha watches in morbid fascination as her body begins to melt and turn to ash. The young Uchiha pants from exhaustion, having used two C rank ninjutsu at his age was beyond impressive.

"Not bad Uchiha." the Anbu says from behind him. Before Sasuke can even react, a kunai pierces him through the stomach causing him to scream in pain. Just before he passes out, a one tomoe Sharingan appears in both his eyes and for just a brief second it seemed the world became more clear until darkness consumed him. The Anbu wraps his wounds and then leaves in pink smoke, just as another Anbu arrives to find the fallen Uchiha and rushes him to the hospital. The fight took no longer than five minutes...

Meanwhile, Naruto was being carried by Tenten to the Hokage Manor. Tenten had been practicing her shurikenjutsu deep in the forest when she found Naruto barely able to stand. She was beginning to think she dodged a bullet not being able to be Kyoodoo's apprentice if her stamina freak friend could barely walk at the end of their training. Still, she did she had someone to help her with her training. There was a thought, "Say Naruto-kun, I know you're not allowed to talk about your training." at that Naruto cries anime tears and Tenten just sweat drops.

"I was wondering, could you help me with my own training? I mean all I practice are shurikenjutsu and fuuinjutsu and the Academy starts in a few weeks. I'll need some kind of edge if I want to make top kunoichi and be closer to my dream of being a famous kunoichi like your kaa-san." Tenten says, Naruto feels touched that she would ask him for help. After all, if not for her he may not be as good at fuuinjutsu as he was now. She was still at level 0, so she could only make storage seals at the moment. Sure she could sketch other seals, but she still didn't quite get how much chakra went into them or just didn't have the reserves for it.

"Sure thing Tenten-chan! I can't tell you what I'm working on NOW, buuuuuut Kyoodoo-sensei didn't say I couldn't tell people things I've already mastered. I recommend you taking leaf balancing to the next level and start balancing rocks on your forehead. Then try balancing them on your fingers until you can balance a rock on each of your fingers. Not only will it improve chakra control, but it will boost your reserves a bit. I also recommend you sew storage seals on your clothes, since I know you learned how to sew at the orphanage; and you said sewing was useless for a kunoichi." Naruto says, causing both of them to laugh heartedly. Tenten couldn't imagine her luck! When the two of them first met, she felt sorry for the blonde. All the kids avoided him and the adults treated him like he was the plague or something. In fact, the adults told her to stay away from him because he was bad, but the blonde was nothing but good. He was honest, a bit goofy, but sweet and caring.

Once the two made it to the Hokage Manor, Tenten dropped off Naruto in his room and was about to leave when Naruto stopped her. "Do you think you can stay tonight? I've never had a sleep over before..." It was innocent enough. He honestly just liked having Tenten around. She was his first friend after all and this way he could help her with her training.

"I don't know. The head lady might get mad if I'm not back home at a certain time." Tenten says, not wanting to get in trouble, but not exactly saying no either. In all honesty, the orphanage just wasn't the same without Naruto. He brought a sense of warmth and excitement to the place. His pranks were always funny to her, even if she acted like she didn't like them. Like the time he painted all the staffs' faces orange while they were wake no less. How he did it without anyone seeing him was beyond her; he was still blamed for it even if they couldn't prove it though.

"We can ask Asuma-san to ask for you! Hokage-Jiji is at one of those boring meetings. I snuck in once to see how it would be to be Hokage and it almost put me to sleep. Just a bunch of old people talking about markets and trading whatever. I would have given anything to be anywhere but there for the rest of my life." Naruto says causing Tenten to giggle.

Meanwhile, in the Council Chambers, a certain old person was thinking along the same lines as Naruto. _"I would give my left and right testicles to be anywhere but here right now. I mean why do I need them, Biwako-chan is gone and I'm old as the __Rikudoo Sennin to boot." _The Sandaime was at yet another council meeting, he almost regretted calling this meeting to discuss what he knew would change not only the Academy, but the mentality of all young would be shinobi. The civilians decided to use this meeting to try and open trades with other nations and while it was a good idea it was still boring to listen to. At least they weren't calling for the death of a certain blonde boy anymore; they realized long ago such things were pointless.

"... And so by opening trades with Wave country, we would have access to their construction workers and be able to rebuild some of the damage caused by the Kyuubi attack." a merchant said, making sure not to bring up the bane of Konoha's existence known as Naruto. They might not say it out loud, but none of the civilian council thought highly of the blonde. To them, he was the Kyuubi in human form since the boy would one day have access to its evil chakra. They may not know much about sealing, but it was common knowledge that Jinchuuriki were prone to going beserk according to their own records in the library. I guess it was a good thing they COULD read, but if they would have read more, then they would have realized they went beserk due to the treatment they receive from their villages; too late now I suppose.

"Wave is a small country. While having more workers to work on rebuilding Konoha is our top priority, there are villages closer to us and who would cost less to hire. Let's not forget, Wave is an island nation and they would have to take boats just to get to us. Thus they would demand more money to have to leave their island just to work for us. I believe Taki is still our allies and are only second to Wave when it comes to their workers." Another merchant states, earning murmurs from the rest of the civilian council. The shinobi council just listen as they were trained to do. They needed to make sure the civilians weren't trying anything that would effect them in the negative. It took some negotiations but the matter was finally settled and the floor was given to the Sandaime.

"I would ask that the civilian council leave the room as this matter is for Shinobi ears only." the Sandaime states. Even though they didn't like it, the civilians leave the room, seeing as the last time they had to leave the room was right after the Kyuubi's attack. Besides, several members of the council had plans of their own, "Are you sure these shinobi can be trusted to complete the job? If this comes back to us..."

"Relax, I made sure they were top notch shinobi and they agreed to do it for free when they saw a picture of the demon brat. I don't like hiring nuke nin, but if caught it will be believed they were just trying to kill him for revenge on Konoha. If tortured, they never saw our faces and know nothing of our affiliation. It's the perfect crime." a council member explains, it would all go down during the Kyuubi Festival in just one day's time.

Meanwhile, back in the council chambers, the shinobi council were in an uproar! The Sandaime just stated he would be upping the Academy age from eight to twelve and the graduation age to sixteen! That meant their children would have to wait another five years to start their shinobi training! It was unheard of since the Academy ages had been set by the Nidaime Hokage himself.

"Hokage-sama you can't be serious! The age has been eight since before even WE were Academy students! Changing the ages now could..." Tsume started but was interrupted by Shikaku. "Give us more time to prepare them for the Academy. Let's face it, ever since we allowed civilians to enter the Academy, the standards have been pretty lax. In our times we weren't considered Genin until we got our first kill. In this day and age all you have to do is use Henge, Kawarimi, and Bunshin. We learned those jutsu the first day of class and they learn it in the third year! Peace has made us soft and it's one reason why the graduation rate among Genin sqauds is 34%. By the time it comes to the Joonin (look up Jonin on Narutopedia and you will see they spell it with two oos) exam, these kids don't know shit about being shinobi and we leave it all to the Joonin instructors to teach them." Tsume couldn't argue with what the Nara clan head had said. Even she believed Genin nowadays were soft compared to when she was a Genin during the war.

"The fact of the matter is, we're not at war anymore. Peace has been a blessing for us, but we can't let ourselves grow dull in these times. We are raising these children to uphold the peace we all treasure some dearly. By giving them five years to experience being children, we give them more time to mature and enjoy their lives. Our profession doesn't have a high survival rate and ew no longer have to send eight year olds out to die in battle. My decision has been made and it is final. Does anyone object?" the Sandaime asks, though even if they did it wouldn't matter. No one, not even Danzo, had any objections about the decision.

"Good now then, about the Academy lessons..." The Sandaime says, before the council room is filled with various suggestions and recommendations as to how the Academy should teach the future of Konohagakure.

**Next day, day of the Kyuubi Festival...**

It was a day of celebration for the people of Konohagakure as people paraded in the streets in merriment. In the center of town, a giant Kyuubi statue, made of wood, was being burned by many a Fire Release Streams. The adults drank themselves into a stupor and the children enjoyed the festival activities. Yes all was well among the populace, all except for Tenten and Naruto. Ino and Shikamaru went with their families to the festival, while Tenten was trying to convince Naruto to go with her.

"Come on Naruto-kun, it'll be so much fun! I went to the Kyuubi festival last year and had a blast! All the games, free food for kids and watching Kyuubi burn was awesome!" Tenten explains with glee, not noticing Naruto flinch at the mention of Kyuubi burning. He couldn't tell her about his 'burden' nor why he didn't want to go. The last time he tried to go, no one would let him play their games or eat their food. A few drunkards even beat him up to the point he had to go to the hospital; no one has seen them since.

"It's ok Tenten-chan, I don't really like the festival. No need to waste your pretty kimono, you should go instead. I'll see you later, bye!" Naruto says before he runs off. Tenten tries to chase after him, but her kimono restricted her movements. She looked at him run until he escaped her sight with a look of sadness. She really wanted to spend time with him on his birthday.

Naruto ran and ran until he was far away from the festival. He didn't want to be there, he didn't want to feel their scorn and hatred amplified times ten. No one even cared it was his birthday, no one gave him the time of day! Suddenly, he ran into someone and fell on his ass. When he looked up to apologize, he was horrified to see an Iwa nuke-nin with a sickening smirk on his face, "Well look what we have here. If it isn't the Yondaime's little shit clonde himself. I was looking for you kid." Before Naruto can do anything, the man chops him in the back of the neck and knocks him out.

Meanwhile, Kyoodoo was at a stand trying to sell his potions. Business was going good for him as the current Ino Shika Cho group all bought various potions from him and with such famed shinobi buying his product, it didn't take long before other shinobi were lining up to buy his potions. He was just going on break when something told him to check in on Naruto. Opening a scroll, he sees Naruto's tracker seal was heading away from the village, which was not a good sign at all. _"Maybe he's finally snapped and decided to leave the village... I have to inform Hokage-sama immediately!"_ The dark skinned man closed his stand and leaves behind a clone to serve as a guard. He created another clone and had it find the Hokage while he raced after Naruto.

Meanwhile, Naruto awoke to find himself restrained to a tree. Standing near him where three men, all with Iwa headbands with a slash over the symbols. He knew he was in trouble for even Iwa nuke-nins held a grudge against Konoha for their lost during the last war. A part of his training was to study up on the history of Konoha and the other nations.

"I thought you were crazy for offering to do this for free, but looking at this little bastard, I gotta say it was worth it. I mean killing the Yondaime's kid will no doubt be satisfying after all the bastard did to our former home. Maybe they'll reinstate us and promote us to Joonin for this!" one of the nuke-nin says. While Naruto didn't recognize them from the bingo book he was made to memorize, he knew they had to be at least Chunin due to their flak jackets. The lead nuke-nin grabs a handful of Naruto's hair and slams his head into the tree, making him go a little dizzy from the impact. That's when the torture began as the other two joined in on the 'fun'. One nuke-nin would practice his Doton: Doryuusou no Jutsu (Earth Release: Earthen Rising Spears) to stab Naruto in non-vital areas to maximize the pain. The other two got great satisfaction out of beating the poor boy to a plup with their bare hands. Naruto couldn't believe this was happening and all on his birthday no less. He just wanted it to end, he wanted them to end. He was tried of being everyone's punching bag and he wouldn't allow it anyMOOOOORE!

Deep inside his seal, the Kyuubi sensed the danger it was in and awoke from his slumber. It unleashed a mighty roar and forced its chakra through the gates as it was unleashed from every pore on Naruto's body in a cloak of red chakra. The acidic chakra melted the wires and even the earthen spears as Naruto dashed forward and literally punched his hand through the closest nuke-nin's chest; the red chakra was like a flame that did most of the work.

The nuke-nin's knew instantly they were dealing with a Jinchuuriki, having seen one of the own going berserk and got serious as the Doton using nuke-nin went for the kill. Naruto uses his increased speed to dodge the many earthen spikes rising from the ground and raced towards the user. Seeing his jutsu was useless, the Doton user went through a series of hand seals, "Doton Doryuu Taiga (Earth Release: Earth River Flow)!" the ground beneath Naruto's feet is turned into a river of mud that carries him down the ground and crashing into a tree, but Naruto shakes off the pain and rushes once more.

"Doton: Doro Dangan (Earth Release: Mud Bullet)!" the Doton nuke-nin proclaims. Little wads of mud rise from the muddy trail and shoot towards Naruto, peppering him in hardened mud.

"Katon: Hoosenka no jutsu (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire technique)!" the lead nuke-nin roars, unleashing a volley of fireballs that mix with the mud bullets and creates magma like assault is too much for the young boy to handle and his cloak disappears before he crashes into a tree and falls unconscious. Not wanting to risk another episode, the lead nuke-nin unleashes another Phoenix Safe fire at the downed Jinchuuriki.

"Suiyakuton: Oashisu o nenshoo (Potion Release: Burning Oasis)!" Kyoodoo roars, throwing three potions in front of Naruto and unleashes waves of red liquid at the fireballs. The fireballs only add to the liquids power as one can see flames dance off the red liquid. The two nuke-nin leap into the trees and watch as tree after tree is engulfed in flames whenever the liquid touches it. Before they can ponder any further, Kyoodoo throws a petrifying potion at the lead nuke-nin who dodges it, only for some of the tan liquid to fall on his arm. To his horror, the arm is petrified and made utterly useless.

"We only need one of you for interrogation. Suiyakuton: Jigoku Supaiku (Potion Release: Hell Spikes)!" Kyoodoo roars. From the waves of spikes jut out and before the Doton nuke-nin could move, he was impaled. With both his comrades now dead, the lead nuke-nin decides to cut his loses and bail, only for a squad of Anbu and the Sandaime in full battle armor to appear around him.

"Boy did you fuck up." Kyoodoo says as the Anbu take their prisoner to the T&I department, while the Sandaime and Kyoodoo take Naruto to the hospital to be treated for any wounds he may have sustained.

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Now I know my fights may seem short, but if you REALLY think about it, most fights are short. Only a novice has to drag a fight out for hours at a time, or if the fight is purely tactical with a large number of people should a fight take more than five minutes. If both fighters are evenly matched, then I'll have longer fights where just one mistake can decide the match. But when it comes to Two chunin and a seven year old, or an Anbu and a seven year old there's really no point in dragging it out. We all know that no amount of power up can make up for both seven year old's lack of experience compared to two Chunin and one Anbu. If I DID have the seven year olds when you all would call bullshit and I wanted to show that Naruto can't just Kyuubify his way to victory every time. The next chapter will PROBABLY, as I don't know yet, be a five year time skip. I want to keep Kyoodoo's methods a mystery and just leave it to your imagination what hell he puts Naruto through. I'm going for originality in this story and I think I'm doing a decent job at it so far.


	4. Chapter 4

If you haven't noticed by now the pairing has been decided. The official pairing is NaruHina! For all those who are disappointed I'm sorry but I've had a few well detailed messages sent to me with reasons that are more detailed than "I think it would be cool" or "I think it would be hot." When you really think about it, Naruto and Hinata are the most likely to get together even in Canon. No other character has brought out the best in Naruto like Hinata and vice versa. In Part I when Naruto was doubting himself before his fight with Neji, who gave him strength and confidence? Freaking Hinata and the same could be said in Part II when he was almost broken by Obito. Hinata gave him the resolve to keep on fighting! I'm sorry, but I can't find myself writing any other pairing. If I lose readers for it, then it's their lose. Anyway on with the story, oh and to answer a review, I doubt I'll be revealing the Anbu's identity anytime soon if at all. I like the idea of keeping her identity a mystery from everyone, even myself.

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Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

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The Sandaime made a public announcement explaining that the Academy would be extended from age 12 to 16 with only the most exceptional of students being allowed to graduate sooner. Naruto went into the Academy expecting to learn the ins and outs of being a shinobi and he would not be disappointed. Despite only being 8 years old the blonde, along with all his friends, took an aptitude test. It tested your mental state, your physical condition, your motives and knowledge of the shinobi arts. Needless to say they all passed with flying colors. With the suggestions of the Council, the Sandaime revamped the Academy to where he felt confident in the future.

The first year would cover history, shurikenjustu. The second year would cover chakra activation along with chakra control exercises. The third year would cover taijutsu, physical conditioning and genjutsu recognition. The fourth year would be ninjutsu theory and practice. The other four years will be for students who struggled the first four years or those who failed the Genin Exam held by Jonin (going to be spelling it this way just to save myself the trouble.)

Naruto, at the suggestion of Kyoodoo, omitted his true motives for wanting to join the Academy so early. After the failed assassination attempt, our blonde hero grew darker, the shine previously shown in his eyes having dulled. He didn't outright hate the villagers but he didn't trust them either. Simply put his motives for joining the Academy were survival; Kyoodoo's torture alone required he do so. While the man was an excellent teacher when it came to fuuinjutsu and Suiyakuton, he was limited in other areas. He relied on his potions and fuuinjutsu and lacked a lot of ninjutsu and genjutsu. His taijutsu was impressive though. The only times Naruto showed any emotion was around the people he cared about, everyone else got a blank expression.

Though on the first day of the Academy our blonde hero was all smiles! He couldn't wait to be with his friends and others around his age. He was a bit saddened that Tenten was in the class ahead of his but he was determined to catch up to her. The bun haired girl had scored high enough to be placed in the year ahead of them and since she already activated her chakra thanks to Kyoodoo she would be working on control and increasing her reserves.

Walking throughout the Academy, Naruto saw all his friends looking at a board that held everyone's assigned classes. Walking over to the board, he was overjoyed to see he was in the same class as his friends under an instructor named Umino Iruka; he hoped he could see past his burden. They all gathered in the class and took seats close to each other. Ino sat next to a pink haired girl and the last Uchiha. Naruto made a mental note to talk to him after class. Shikamaru sat in front of Naruto and next to Choji. Looking around, he noticed the girl next to him was none other than the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata. Kyoodoo made it is job to make sure Naruto knew every clan of Konoha and their heirs/heiress. When she noticed him looking at her, she began to blush and look anywhere but at him. She couldn't believe the very boy who had saved her from bullies some two years ago was sitting right next to her!

Ever since he protected her, the Hyuuga heiress would, on occasion... Ok more like whenever she had free time, watch over him in secret aka stalking. Hey, when you're a shinobi in training stalking was just another form of stealth training. Anyway, she saw how he was outcasted by the villagers and how he, used to anyway, seek their acknowledgement and grew to admire him because of it. She was saddened when she saw the light in his eyes dim and wanted to bring it back by any means, but she was scared and didn't know what to do.

Her thoughts were cut off when their instructor walked in (Do I really need to describe him?). Iruka was not a happy camper. He had to completely revamp his teaching style to fit the more militarized lesson plan given to him. In his opinion, the Academy was supposed to be a time to form bonds and learn the basics, but now it seemed like they were gearing these kids for war. He sighed as he went through roll call and stops at Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto noticed that and sighed knowing he had yet another adult how couldn't tell a kunai from the scroll, he would have to change that. After roll call, Iruka began to go over the history of Konohagakure and all its known allies. The young Uzumaki was shocked when he went over Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki clan. The class all looked at Naruto in a state of bewilderment, known more so than Sasuke, who saw the blonde as a kindred spirit of sorts. It was in the afternoon by the time the lecture was over and Naruto was ready for the next portion of the lesson: shurikenjutsu.

Taking the class outside to the training grounds, the young children were shocked to see an obstacle course filled with moving targets, ball launchers, and human shaped practice dummies. Iruka thought the new training course was too hard for the kids, but explained the rules to them anyway. They were to try to hit the bull's eye in the center of the targets while dodging the balls launched at them with varying speeds and them hit the human targets in all their vital areas.

One by one, the kids went about the exercise and even though all of them passed the aptitude test, the vast majority of them couldn't even hit the moving targets and were pelted by the balls. The only thing they COULD hit were the stationary targets. Iruka was about ready to go to the Hokage and tell him his expectations were set to high, until it was the Clan kids' turns. Ino managed to actually hit the targets, even though she couldn't get a bull's eye and managed to dodge some of the balls, while hitting all of the human target's vitals. Shikamaru did the bare minimum to not be a total failure, but Iruka suspected he could have done much better than he did. Choji couldn't dodge to save his life, but he at least hit 2 out of 12 bull's eyes and all of the human target vitals.

Hinata dodged all of the balls with ease and managed to get 5 out of 12 bull's eyes while hitting all of the human target's vitals. An Inuzuka by the name of Kiba managed to hit 4 out of 12, dodge a majority of the balls and hit most of the human vitals. An Aburame by the name of Shino did an average of 6 out of 12, effortlessly dodged all the balls and hit all of the human vitals. The pink haired girl named Sakura couldn't hit any of the targets, couldn't dodge the balls, but did manage to hit all of the human vitals. Sasuke got the highest out of the class, hitting all 12 of the bull's eyes, dodging all the balls, and hitting the human vitals; all thanks to his Sharingan. The girls, Ino and Sakura included, swooned over how cool he was, but were ignored by the Uchiha survivor.

Sasuke was just glad to have a moment of peace from the Anbu. It seemed she would not attack him while he was in class and he almost dreaded that it was almost over. Naruto could only hit 5 out of 12 bull's eyes, dodged all the balls; though compared to having real kunai and elemental potions thrown at you, this was child's play, and hit the human vitals with his eyes closed. After that, class was dismissed and the kids were met by parents or they went to do whatever it was seven to nine year olds did. Naruto went over to Iruka, "May I speak with you for a minute Iruka-sensei?" Iruka glared at the boy, but agreed to at least hear the demon brat out; he wouldn't let his prejudice interfere with his duties as a teacher.

Naruto pulls out a kunai and a storage scroll. He opens the scroll and holds it out to the scarred man, "What is this?" Iruka looked at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world, then remembered he was only seven and shouldn't be familiar with seals and storage scrolls. "That is a storage scroll, used to hold things in it." a tick mark grew on Naruto's head at the way Iruka explained it to him like he was stupid, but resisted the urge to growl. Then he held out the kunai and asked what it was. Iruka now thought the boy was beyond retarded, but answered him nonetheless.

To Iruka's shock, Naruto sealed the kunai in the scroll and asked him, "What is this now?" Iruka was getting sick of the games. "It's clearly a scroll, does any of this have a point?" Naruto sighed, having thought the man would piece it together himself, but decided enough was enough. "If you can clearly see that sealing a kunai in a scroll doesn't make the scroll a kunai, then how can you stand there and hate me for being a Jinchuuriki?"

Iruka stood there dumbfounded. First by the fact Naruto knew about having the Kyuubi sealed within him and then at the way he explained his case. It was so simple and yet so brilliant at the same time. For the first time in a while, Iruka felt great shame at himself. He should have had more faith in the Yondaime, who was a master at fuuinjutsu and gave his life to ensure the Kyuubi stayed sealed.

"You are right Naruto... As a shinobi, I understand the complexity of fuuinjutsu and knew the Yondaime was a master and didn't make faulty seals, especially a seal that cost him his life. I should have seen past my pain and saw you as just a kid who was dealt a bad hand... Please forgive me." Iruka said with a bow. Naruto smiles softly, seeing as he was able to reach at least one of his haters; maybe there was hope for the others yet.

"It's alright Iruka sensei. So long as you know the difference from now on, we won't have any troubles. Although, you could make it up to me by either buying a potion from my sensei's shop or buying me some ramen!" Naruto said greedily, hey you gotta advertise whenever you could. Iruka sighed at the boy's antics, but agreed to buying a potion later that day, since he had been curious about them for a while.

With that, Naruto left the Academy and went to one of the forests Kyoodoo used for torturing him. While he waited on his sensei, he heard something coming from the nearby lake. When he went to see what it was, he was surprised to see Hinata, dressed in a bathing suit, gliding across it like a figure skater. He couldn't believe someone his age had such high levels of chakra control. He was still on tree climbing for Kami's sakes! Hinata just lost herself to her exercise, feeling her chakra steadily flow in her feet and the cool water beneath them. She performed it gracefully and serenely, putting on a show for our blonde hero. When she was done with her performance, she was shocked to hear applause and fell in when she saw Naruto. Swimming to shore, she gasped for air and blushed from head to toe at being seen; she normally came here after the blonde and his sensei had left.

"Wow Hinata that was amazing! I've never seen someone skate across the water like that! Does that mean you've already mastered tree climbing, do you have any pointers for a... Say Hinata what are those bumps on your chest?" Naruto asked, genuinely confused as to why her chest was different from his. His was flat, while hers was more curved. In fact, he saw those bumps on older women's chests as well but could never figure out what they meant. Steam blew out of Hinata's ears as her eyes swirled from embarrassment. Being an early bloomer one of the Branch members explained to her human anatomy and biology; a scientific way of saying she had the talk.

"I-I c-c-can leave i-if I'm b-bothering you." Hinata said ready to bolt, but Naruto wouldn't have any that. "Nonsense you're not bothering me at all. In fact you might be able to help me with your Byakugan!" Naruto's reasoning was that she should be able to see how his chakra reacted during the tree climbing exercise. Hinata smiled shyly and agreed. She put on her clothes and the two went over to a tree. Activating her Byakugan, she watched Naruto focus chakra into his feet and run towards the tree. Just like any other time he rocketed off the tree before getting any further.

"W-well it l-looks like you're c-clearly adding to much chakra. Y-y-you have a lot of c-chakra for a c-child Naru-t-to-kun. When I was l-learning this I found it h-helped to lay on y-your back and place one foot on the tree u-until you get a feel for it." Hinata suggested. Shrugging, Naruto did as instructed and felt his foot repel off the tree so he adjusted the chakra and noticed it wasn't enough. He did this for a while until his foot finally stuck to the tree. Getting to his feet, Naruto tested his new theory and was amazed when he could sneakily walk up thr tree before stopping at the top and walking back down.

"Yes I did it I did it I DID IT! Thanks Hinata you're awesome ya know that?!" Naruto said hugging the girl to show his gratitude. Hinata couldn't believe he was hugging her and had called her of all people awesome. It was the first time anyone had acknowledged her and it felt good. Suddenly, Hinata saw a large chakra signature nearby and something coming right at them! She quickly tackled Naruto to the ground just in time to dodge a kunai.

"Alright Naruto, since you started the Academy I think it's time we... Oh am I interrupting something?" Kyoodoo asked with a smirk. Even Naruto was blushing at the rather incriminating spot he was in or should I say under. He adamantly denied anything was happening and Hinata just got off him and ran home but not before waving goodbye to Naruto. With that taken care of Kyoodoo decided to get to business.

"Alright Naruto, today we'll be discovering your chakra affinity. You've made great progress with your chakra control and the sooner we find out your affinity, the sooner we can get you started on learning ninjutsu catering to it." Kyoodoo said, holding out a sheet of chakra paper. He explained how the paper worked and allowed Naruto to channel chakra through it. The reaction was unlike anything the dark skinned man had ever seen. The paper cut in half, meaning he was clearly a fuuton type, but then on both sides of the paper the Uzumaki symbol was sketched on them. When Kyoodoo touched the paper, he felt his chakra being drained into the papers and the symbols turned into sketches of potion bottles. "Da fuck?" was all Kyoodoo could say at the weird reaction. He could only assume it had something to do with fuuinjutsu. He smiled devilishly causing Naruto to gulp; it was going to be a long and painful day...

The next day, right after the Academy, Naruto was looking for the last Uchiha. He noticed he stuck around the Academy until the very last minute and hid himself pretty well. At first he thought he was trying to hide from his fangirls, but they left looking for him hours after class ended. No the Uchiha was fearful of someone else and it puzzled our blonde hero as to whom could terrify the boy so. After hours of searching, he found him under a bridge, "Yo Sasuke!" The Uchiha was startled and on instinct threw a kunai aimed to kill. Naruto dodged the projectile just barely and was instantly pissed.

"Hey what's the big idea ya teme?!" Naruto yelled jumping down to where Sasuke was and held him by his collar. Sasuke shoved Naruto off him and glared "Were you followed?" This just served to piss Naruto off more.

"What do ya mean was I followed? Bettet yet why are you hiding from everyone? If someone is bullying you then go to a teacher or Hokage-Jiji." Naruto said.

"You don't understand, you have to leave me alone right now if you know what's good for you." Sasuke said looking around with his Sharingan activated. Before Naruto could say another word, a hail of kunai rained down on them. On sheer instinct, Naruto unravels a scroll and seals all the kunai inside it before closing his scroll. Sasuke didn't have time to be impressed as he took out his own kunai and got into his family stance.

"Looks like Sasuke-chan has a friend. Sorry little fox but you just made my shit list." The Anbu said appearing in between the two of them. She jumped and planted a split kick into both boys' chests sending them tumbling. Sasuke was the first to recover and threw a handful of shuriken at the Anbu, who deflected them with a kunai. Naruto pulled out two potion bottles and threw one to Sasuke, "Drink it Sasuke no time for questions! I'm about to give you a crash course in Suiyakuton." Naruto drank the brew in one gulp, then shot off like a rocket. The agility potion increased the muscles responsible for sprinting for a certain amount of time. The Anbu was shocked at the boy's newfound speed for like two seconds before she caught the fist aimed at her neck.

Naruto just smirked and calls out, "Shoogon Fuuin x2 (Gravity Seal)!" The Anbu suddenly found her arm twice it's normal weight as the seal shined brightly on her arm. She tossed Naruto away and blocked the Uchiha's blows with her free arm. Kicking the boy away she pulls out a paintbrush, "I see that slimy frog taught you fuuinjutsu. Must suck to be you since I'm a level five myself." With break neck speeds, the Anbu added an odd numbered seal on top of Naruto's even numbered one and caused an imbalance that broke his seal.

With her arm restored, she unsealed her mallet and whacks Naruto into a nearby building. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Sasuke drank the potion and felt it's effects immediately. Rushing the Anbu the Uchiha unleashed a series of punched and aerial kicks that the Anbu actually had to work to evade. Pulling out a kunai, Sasuke slashed at the Anbu and manages to cut a few strands of her hair off. As if turning on a switch, the Anbu gains a boost of speed and destroyed Sasuke with low, medium, and high kicks that were mere blurs to the boy. With one final axe kick, the Uchiha slammed into the ground and passed out.

The Anbu ran a hand through her hair before she turned around and wrapped her hands around Naruto's neck before he could caught her off guard. The blonde struggled for a minute until he too passed out and was tossed next to the Uchiha. The Anbu leaves in a plume of pink smoke just as the Anbu arrive with the Sandaime. The fight took four minutes, and the old Kage knew that was only because she let it be that long. Was one of his Anbu going rogue, was Danzo still in charge of his Root, or was this the work of a spy? He sighed as he took the two boys to the hospital; he was getting too old for this shit.

**One year later...**

It had been a year since the incident and both Naruto and Sasuke were still paranoid she would return one day. The Hokage had Anbu stationed to watch over the boys whenever possible but they still didn't feel at ease. They could just sense she was watching them. It was a strange way to bond, but it was their way. After experiencing first-hand what Kyoodoo's potions could do, Sasuke became a frequent customer, meaning the two were just about always together. Since Naruto hung around Sasuke, Ino and Sakura were naturally around him as well. They would study together, but Naruto and Sasuke never trained together. They both had a rivalry with one another and wanted to prove they were the best; outside the Academy anyway. Inside the Academy Naruto was told to hide his true potential and be the dead last of his clas as to not bring attention to himself.

Being Naruto he completely ignored the suggestion and soon found out why Kyoodoo told him in the first place. Some of the instructors would purposely give him harder tasks than the others or out right fail him out of spite. Of course he couldn't prove any of this to Iruka or the Sandaime but soon he stopped caring. He decided that as long as he scored high enough to graduate early he would put up with being the dead last.

The only person who truly knew of Naruto's skills was Hinata since she trained with him just about everyday. Naruto found her rather helpful and insisted she train with him so they could both get better. Hinata helped Naruto with taijutsu, and chakra control while Naruto helped her with fuuinjutsu and ninjutsu. After the Academy, Kyoodoo would have him work on his nature affinity by having him try to cut a leaf in half with pure fuuton chakra. His progress was slow, but he didn't give up! Hinata even got into elemental training since she was considered a lost cause to her father and a woman named Kurenai was her legal guardian. The Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha saw it as an opportunity to make Hinata a fierce kunoichi and make the Hyuuga clan regret giving up on her. Hinata had a strong affinty to Suiton and thus she had to make a water whip. She could easily make an orb of water rise from a body of water but struggled to make the whip.

Sasuke was also learning about Raiton chakra by having to recharge batteries until he could recharge 10 of them. He could barely recharge one, but he refused to be left behind by his Dobe of a friend. The Uchiha didn't understand why Naruto held back in the Academy, but he was looking forward to the day the 'mask' came off and he could truly test himself against his potion brewing friend.

It was time for the second year to begin and the Clan kids were already ahead of the civilian kids by miles. They had already activated their chakras, so Iruka and Mizuki, who had been called in to assist, started them on chakra control exercises. To both of the instructors surprise, the Clan kids already knew the leaf balancing exercise to an advanced degree; hell Naruto could balance rocks on his fingers! So they tried tree climbing, only to find out Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata already knew that as well. When they went to water walking they sighed in relief when Naruto and Sasuke struggled while Hinata just glided across like she were on ice.

The shy girl saw that she was the only one who could do the exercise and thought about acting like she couldn't, but then she remembered Kurenai's words to her. _"When you hold back your potential, you not only hurt yourself, but everyone who believes in you."_ she didn't want to hurt Kurenai or Naruto, the two people who saw her potential and strove to awaken it. Instead of giving up or pretending, she went over to her friends and decided to give them some pointers with her Byakugan.

"Y-you're b-both not applying a s-steady stream of chakra. Sasuke, y-you're not applying enough c-chakra and N-Naruto-kun you're a-applying too much." Hinata told the two soaked boys. Using her advice, the two survivors went about doing the exercise. Though they still couldn't quite get the hang out it, they at least made some progress. Hinata smiled at them, it seemed the three of them would go far.

* * *

Writing this chapter was harder than I thought it would be. Mostly because I couldn't decide if I just wanted to skip the Academy or not. Next chapter I will be skipping the Academy since even I find the training periods as boring and just want to get to the results already haha. I also wanted to introduce Hinata in this chapter along with the other Konoha 9. The time skip next chapter will cover the following two years and before anyone asks no this will not be a Naruto Godlike story. If Naruto seems overpowered then his enemies (who deserve it) will also be overpowered to compensate for the additional power boost.


	5. Chapter 5

The previous chapter didn't get as many reviews as I wanted, but it was necessary I guess. I wanted to introduce some key players in the story before team selections and explain a few things. I don't have much to talk about, so let's just get to it.

* * *

Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

* * *

Deep in the luscious forests of Konoha a battle was underway, "I hear team selections are tomorrow. I gotta say I'm proud of you both, you really have come a long way, but you're still leagues away from me." the Anbu twirled her mallet playfully as the now twelve year old Naruto and Sasuke circled around her to find any weaknesses and openings. It was weird how after giving herself up to the Sandaime, she no longer had to worry about other Anbu's coming after her. They would see her walking in the village as if she were just your ordinary citizen and despite having their asses handed to them on a randomly frequent basis, the two started to view her as the big sister they never had. She was mysterious, playful, a constant in their lives, but most of all helpful. Each time they fought her they got just a little better and it showed almost instantly. Naruto pulled out a potion as he went through hand seals, Sasuke also pulled out a potion.

"Suiyakuton: Moe Arashi (Potion Release: Blazing Storm)!" They roared, tossing their potions in the air as red and yellow liquids poured out to produce a wave of pinkish liquids. The liquids flowed towards the Anbu with ember and sparks of lightning dancing off it. The Anbu did hand seals of her own, "Doton: Fuchi (Earth Release: Abyss)." a big hole opened in front of her and the wavewent down into its depths before it got covered up. Suddenly, Sasuke aimed a high kick at her head that she blocked while Naruto followed up with a leg sweep. The Anbu jumped over the sweep and tossed Sasuke into Naruto, who dissolved into mud, which Sasuke capitalized on, "Doton: Doryuuha (Earth Release: Earth Flow Wave)!" the Uchiha used the mud from the clone and the earth to make a wave that he rode on and tried to bulldoze the Anbu with. _"Damn him and that Sharingan. He's copied about 25% of my jutsu and thanks to him showing Naruto, he's had tons of practice with it."_ Speaking of Naruto, his hands shot from the ground in an attempt to grab her ankles, but the Anbu just leapt away and tossed a kunai with an customized explosive tag on it at the approaching wave of mud. When it exploded it sent mud everywhere and knocked the Uchiha off his ride and released an purple mist in the air. Both preteens burrowed underground to avoid breathing in the poison, but the Anbu was having none of that.

"Doton: Kyuuzoo (Earth Release: Upsurge)!" the Anbu chanted stomping her foot on the ground. The area began to tremble, before both boys popped out of the ground like moles, right into a clothesline tackle from the Anbu. The two survivors got to their feet and went through hand seals at impressive speeds, "Fuuton: Sora Eesu (Wind Release: Sky Ace)!" a razor sharp gust of wind blew from Naruto's hand and soared toward the Anbu. "Katon: Honoo Baasuto (Fire Release: Flame Burst)!" roaring flames shot from Sasuke's mouth and combined with the wind to increase the destructive power of the flames. The flames easily destroyed whatever trees were in its path towards the Anbu, who was engulfed by the searing flames and screamed in sheer agony.

Both boys were shocked their jutsu connected, until Sasuke saw with his Sharingan that the Anbu used the kawarimi and placed a genjutsu over it to appear as if it had connected. He reassured Naruto she was fine, who had broken out into a cold sweat at the thought of truly hurting his Nee-chan.

"Awww you two were worried about little ol me? I'm so touched Naru-chan, Sasu-chan!" The Anbu said, wrapping the two in sleeper holds with an iron grip. The two tried to break free, but her grip was solid and soon they passed out. By the time they woke up, the Anbu was gone and they were tied to a tree with ninja wire. Sighing, the two easily broke free; they'd had been escaping these wires for years.

"Dammit, I really thought we could get her this time." Sasuke said with annoyance in his tone. Naruto just shrugs, "She's at least Jonin in rank, we're not even Genin yet. I know we're above Genin at this point, but she still has years experience ahead of us. Let's just do what we normally do and use this as a learning experience. We need to counter her doton jutsu somehow. You're a raiton type, maybe whoever we get as a sensei will know a few raiton jutsu." Sasuke just hns and nods.

"I don't know about you, but I'm straving. Ichiraku sound good, I could really go for some Tomato Ramen right about now." Sasuke said, Naruto threw an arm around his best friend, "You just want to see Ayame-nee-chan! You and I both know you have the hots for her." The blonde chuckled at the blush on the otherwise stoic face of his friend.

"Like I'm going to listen to you when it comes to recognizing when someone likes someone. You're such a Dobe I think I need to come up with a new word to describe the level of retarded you are. I'm thinking Supercaliretardiousexpialadumbish (that long word from Mary Poppins)." Sasuke said earning a growl from Naruto. He hated to admit it but that was rather clever for on the fly comebacks. Trading jabs at one another the two walked off to their favorite food stand to refuel after their ass kicking.

**Meanwhile, with Hinata...**

"Again." Kurenai ordered and Hinata obeyed by unleashing another palm strike on a training post. They had been going at it for hours to increase Hinata's stamina and strength should she be too low on chakra to rely on the Juuken or her variant the Shuureiken (Graceful Fist) it relied on being flexible and swift so for the past few years Hinata had trained in speed and yoga. She even had Naruto craft some resistance seals for her when she discovered both Naruto and Sasuke used them for training. She was nowhere near mastering her taijutsu style but it was coming along and put her at the top of her class when it came to the girls.

It greatly confused the Hyuuga heiress that Naruto preached about being Hokage and always giving your best, but he constantly held back in the Academy. He was the dead last among those who graduated early, only barely passing with them. The test consisted of demonstrating shurikenjustu and taijutsu, breaking out of genjutsu, and using ninjutsu effectively. That meant you had to use kawarimi to dodge kunai being thrown at you at least ten times, henge into someone and get a Bingo Book from the Shinobi Store while the owner was aware of the test, and confuse the instructors with a Bunshin of your choice. You got extra credit for using a jutsu not taught in class. Of course Sasuke got the Rookie of the Year and graduated with near perfect scores.

"Alright Hinata I think we can call it quits now. How's about we go to the Hot Springs to relax?" Kurenai suggested and Hinata happily agreed. With that the two girls made their way there. Meanwhile Naruto and Sasuke were leaving Ichiraku's and had nothing to do.

"Yo Sasuke wanna try out my latest potion?" Naruto asked with s mischievous grin. The Uchiha's face sours, "Hell no. The last potion turned me into a frog and you told all the girls only a kiss would reverse it!" He ran, er hopped, for hours trying to escape his fangirls. Naruto laughed at the memory ah good times.

"Don't be a little bitch Sasuke. I'll even take it with you. I have an idea as to how we can have some fun the way only boys can." Naruto said as he tossed Sasuke a potion bottle. Taking out a bottle of his own he chugged its contents and waited for the effects to kick in.

"So what will this do exactly? And your idea of fun is normally really perverted. Like the time you had me use my Sharingan to tell you the size of Anbu-nee-chan's bust size. She gave us the WORST ass kicking ever for that." Sasuke said with a shudder.

Suddenly, plumes of smoke consumed Naruto and when they dissipated a female version of the blonde stood where he once was. "You're starting to sound awfully gay Sasuke. This way you will confirm your straightness, which has been put into question from your constant rejection of girls and all the time we spend together."

"My straightness is not in question Dobe! I am the straightest man in the village! People would suspect the Hokage before me." Sasuke defended. Naruto just gave him the 'are you serious' look.

"Are you gonna drink the potion and raid the Hot Springs with me or not? I hear some of the most beautiful women go there around this time of day!" Naruto said with a perverse giggle. Sasuke just sighed and drank the potion. Whether he admitted it or not the idea of seeing naked women was appealing to any man. Once the smoke dissipated a female verison of Sasuke was conjured. The two walked to the Hot Springs, "Are you sure we'll get past the henge check?" This was a Shinobi village after all and many men had snuck in using henge before the check was established.

"You worry to much. The Transformation potion is better than the henge. It completely changes the person into the opposite gender flawlessly. It lasts for about two hours, so we need to get a move on!" Naruto explained. Once they were at the Hot Springs, they were stopped by the receptionist, who used a genjutsu release hand seal to dispel any genjutsu that may have been casted. When nothing happened, the two boys turned girls were allowed in. Naruto was gitty with excitement at all the nudity he would be seeing, while Sasuke had the decency to blush. Once inside, they stepped into the warm waters and sighed in content. Naruto's eyes bugged out of their sockets when he saw all the beautiful women lounging about with nothing on to cover themselves.

"This is it Sasuke my friend. We're living every man's dream right now *inhales deeply then exhales* take it all in." Naruto whispered to his friend, who had to resist activating his Sharingan to lock the beauty to memory; he didn't want to forget this. Some of the women even played in the water as their loveliness bounced around and flashed the two transformed boys with their divine features. That's when Kurenai and Hinata came into the waters and Naruto was both horrified and awestruck at seeing Hinata naked. Horrified because he saw her as one of his closest friends and he felt slightly dirty seeing her so exposed without her knowing and amazed at how developed she was for her age.

"Alright time to go, this is getting way to weird..." Sasuke said, unfortunately he also saw Hinata naked. While he thought she was a pretty girl, he had no interest in seeing her naked; if only Ayame were... Speaking of, the ramen chef had decided to join in on the fun and ended up soaking in the waters as well. Sasuke instantly sat back down and enjoyed everything he saw. Naruto, feeling even more dirty decided it was time to go. That's when the female Anbu decided to take a soak in the Hot Springs and both boys clapped their hands, "Done." they left without another word and not a moment too soon. Just as they were leaving, the potions wore off and reverted them back to being boys.

"That was awesome until it got weird... Is it bad I can't get Hinata-chan, Ayame-nee-chan, and Anbu-nee-chan's nudity out of my head? I don't think I'll be able to look them in the eyes for a while." Naruto said with a dreamy look on his face. Sasuke bopped him on the head, "Get Ayame-chan out of your head ya perv! Thanks to you I have two sister figures' nudity stuck in my head!" Naruto just shrugged and looked up at the sky. He saw it was just about time for him to start training with Kyoodoo and bid his friend farewell as they went there separate ways.

**Later that day...**

The Hokage's office was packed as several Jonin chatted amongst themselves. Various files on the early graduates were being passed around and evaluated for future Genin squads. Kurenai was among the group as the newest Jonin and was happy to read Hinata had graduated as top kunoichi of her class. She had her heart set on having a full tracker team consisting of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and her little Hinata. She knew Asuma would be training the Ino-Shika-Cho of this generation and Kakashi would most likely have the Uchiha and the dead last. While she held no ill will towards Naruto she did feel like Hinata could do better than the pathetic excuse for a Shinobi. Judging by his scores he just barely made it and would most likely be sent back for remedial training. Still even she had to admit the boy had a positive effect on the shy Hyuuga.

The Sandaime called everyone to attention, "Greetings Jonin of Konoha. As I'm sure you all know it is time for team selection for this year's Genin. While many of you have handed my suggestions as to who should be placed where, I feel it is ultimately my responsibility to ensure we have the strongest Genin squads possible. With that said the nine graduates from this year will be paired as followed. Jonin Sarutobi Asuma will have Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji as Team Ten. Jonin Yuuhi Kurenai will have Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Haruno Sakura as Team Eight." Before the Hokage could continue a shout of "WHAT?!" was heard throughout the office.

"Hokage-sama I understand your word is final, but please hear me out. Sakura has little to no skills whatsoever. She was ranked as the worst amongst the girls graduating and completely throws off my team. Both Kiba and Shino are from tracking clans and would be better suited to do missions if Hyuuga Hinata were added to the team." Kurenai explained hoping to reason with the Sandaime. Before anymore could be said, a scarecrow looking man walked into the office looking over some files.

"Sorry Hokage-sama, I was busy spying on the recent graduates to see who would serve best on my squad. That is if they can pass my test." Kakashi said. No one could tell if he were lying or not so they all shrugged and continued with the meeting.

"Yes well I'm glad you're spending your time coming up with better excuses Kakashi. Be that as it may, whenever I call you, I expect you to be on time am I clear?" The Sandaime asked darkly getting several gulps, "H-Hai Hokage-sama!"

"Good as for your suggestion Kurenai, while I allow opinions to be shared with me know that my word is final. Had you done your research beyond a glance, you would have seen the girl has the highest score in Genjutsu and is currently enrolled in the Medical-Ninjutsu program at the hospital. My student Tsunade is the prime example of what a medic-nin can do for a squad. Also let me remind you the teams are determined by putting the best students with the worse to even them out. Every team follows this and if I gave you Hinata it would unbalance the teams as one team would have two of the worst students." The Sandaime explained. Kurenai sighed in defeat, hoping that whoever got Hinata would bring out the best in her.

"That leaves Jonin Hatake Kakashi with Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto as Team Seven." The Sandaime said, Kakashi just shrugged while Kurenai couldn't believe her Hinata was stuck with the laziest and most perverted man she had ever met! With the nine graduate teams chosen, the Jonin began to leave, but Kurenai took Kakashi to the side to talk to him.

"Listen Kakashi, I know you're my sempai and have been a Jonin much longer than I have, but let me warn you. If I find out you're slacking when it comes to training your team, or doing anything perverted, I will subject you to a genjutsu not even your Sharingan can see through." Kurenai said darkly causing Kakashi to burst out in laughter.

"I don't know what's funnier. The fact that you think you can intimidate me or that you think there's a genjutsu that the Sharingan can't see through. Listen Kurenai-san, you don't know me as well as you think you do. You don't know that I take being a sensei very seriously. You don't know I was a member of the Anbu before I retired to be a sensei. And you don't know if these kids are even worth my time." Kakashi said before walking past an angry Kurenai.

Meanwhile, Naruto and his friends, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Sasuke, Sakura, and Hintata, were playing hide and seek. While most would find it to be stupid for future shinobi and kunoichi to be playing, but to them it was training. It was Ino's turn and she was trying to hone her sensor abilities to find her friends. Sending her chakra in pulses, she found two signatures not that far from her, but deep underground; so that was a bust. Sending out stronger chakra pulses, she soon found another signature and raced toward her target. Her target ran away from her, but couldn't escape her swift movements. Soon Ino tagged Hinata and it was Hinata's turn to find them. The Hyuuga counted to five hundred and activated her Byakugan to see all around her. She saw Naruto and Sasuke hiding underground, she found Sakura finding up in the trees, she found Choji disguised as a boulder, Ino was hiding in the lake, but Shikamaru was out of her range.

Since Choij was closer, Hinata raced over to him and tagged him. The game continued for hours as each of them utilized their various skill sets. Soon it was time for them to go home, "So who do you think will be selected as teams? I hope I'm on your team Sasuke-kun!" both Naruto and Sasuke rolled their eyes at the blatant fangirlism of Ino. Honestly, Naruto never could figure out why all the girls were all over Sasuke's dick, well all except Hinata. Naruto just smirked, "Well I can promise you you won't be. I heard from Tenten that teams are based on the best from the graduates and the worst. So two of the best paired with the worst to even out the odds. Everyone knows Hokage-Jiji is going to pair this generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho with each other. Sakura-chan will most likely be paired with Kiba and Shino since she's the worst out of the girls and Sasuke, Hinata and I will be paired together." Ino deflated at the logic behind Naruto's statement.

"Hinata doesn't even LIKE Sasuke-kun! It's not fair, love was supposed to conquer all!" Sakura screamed with anime tears falling from her eyes. Everyone laughed at their friend, "Looks like love doesn't mean jack shit in the real world." this earned Naruto a smack on the head and a large lump to form. Hinata suspected that Naruto knew before Tenten told him how the teams were selected and in order to get the teammates he wanted made himself the dead last on purpose to get them, but that meant that, _"Naruto-kun wanted to be on my team?! Is that why he kept pushing me to do my best?"_ a blush graced her face at the thought of Naruto wanting her on his team so they could spend time together. Maybe the knucklehead would finally realize her feelings for him since they would be spending so much time together. Seeing as it was getting dark, everyone went their separate ways to get ready for the next day.

Along the way to the Hokage Manor, Naruto's cheery smile was replaced with a blank expression as he walked through the streets of Konoha. He could literally feel the negative emotions rolling off the villagers, who glare and whisper dark things about him. These people meant nothing to him, he would kill each and every last one of them if they so much as threatened him or anyone he cared about. No, to Naruto, the village of Konoha and its people were two separate entities. The village itself was beautiful and serene and he would do anything to protect it. The people could go to hell for all he cared, well not all of its people.

Once he entered the manor and went to his room, he almost trips over some unraveled scrolls laying around. His room was simply put a mess, it had towers of scrolls just ready to topple over, potion bottles lying all about and kunai embedded in the floor in specific formations. Taking off his 'Joker Jacket', the orange jumpsuit he wore to better prove he wasn't taking things seriously, Naruto opened his closet and looks at the outfit he would start to wear starting the next day. It was a dark blue jumpsuit with shin and shoulder guards, a sash for keeping potion vials and scrolls in and under armor that was light but would protect against most shuriken and kunai. Lying next to it was a scroll about half his height with all the potions he and Kyoodoo made for battle and a unique kunai blade (AN: If you want a better visual think of his outfit from Naruto Shippuden Dragon Blade Chronicles and the Kunai is the Dragon Blade itself. To save some time, everyone will be dressed in the outfits from this game, except Hinata will have a lavender battle kimono with dark purple floral print designs on it and shin and shoulder guards, along with a sash for scrolls. Choji will be wearing what he wears in Shippuden and so will Kiba except with shoulder and shin guards. Shino will wear what he normally wears as I believe his is fine as is. Ino will wear a purple version of what Sakura wears. Not to be lazy but it would take too long to describe EVERYONE's outfits and I want to get to team selections as quickly as possible.)

He could only smirk at how he would look in the outfit and how shocked those who don't know him will be at his sudden transformation from goofball to seasoned shinobi. He had trained hard to get where he was, took a lot of ass kicking and he'd be damned if he brought dishonor to the people who helped him and his clan. He would show the world the Uzumaki were not dead, that they lived on and were a force to be feared! Suddenly, there was a knock at his door and when Naruto opened it he smiled at the Sandaime, who returned a smile of his own.

"Ah I'm glad you're still wake Naruto-kun. I have a present for you for graduating the Academy early." The Sandaime said, holding a scroll out for Naruto. The blonde couldn't help the big smile on his face, he always treasured the old man for being one of the few people who looked out for him. The pride and praise from his grandfather figure was the best feeling in the world to Naruto. Opening the scroll, he scowled at the mention of Bunshin, until he read that it required a lot of chakra and put the pieces together. Reading the rest of the information about the Kage Bunshin, the blonde nearly had his head explode from all the possibilities such a jutsu could yield for someone like him!

"Thanks Hokage-Jiji, I can't wait to master this jutsu!" Naruto proclaimed, hugging the old man for dear life. The Sandaime chuckled and ran a hand through Naruto's locks, much to the blonde's annoyance. With that the Sandaime left the boy to sleep. It took the blonde an hour to get the jutsu down and by the end of it he found sleep very easy.

The next day, Naruto was up bright and early. He showered, got dressed and raced out of the manor with barely controlled glee! He decided to have a little fun before going to the Academy, so he parkour through the village, hoping from roof top to street lamps. He would race up walls, do backflips off them and really put on a show for those watching. Racing to the Academy, he made it with plenty of time to spare. So he simply sat in his usual sit next to Hinata and took out a scroll on fuuinjutsu. He had been toying with the idea of using pure chakra to make seals instead of using paper and ink, but couldn't find any records of anyone successfully doing so. He was reading over the difference between sealing objects and people, when Iruka cleared his throat to get his attention.

Iruka was proud to see his students, especially Naruto, having changed their appearances into something more shinobi appropriate. It seemed they understood that being shinobi wasn't a game and was both serious and dark. The scarred man had grown attached to the blonde knucklehead throughout the years, seeing himself in the boy. They had a pretty good relationship, so it was bittersweet for the scarred man to be seeing his favorite student graduating early. He went on to explain the life style of the shinobi, how they were the mystic-knights of their village. For once Naruto paid attention to one of Iruka's speeches as the term mystic-knight rang to him. He would be the black knight for the village, the savior no one wanted, but needed.

After his speech was over, Iruka began to call out the teams and much to the dismay of Ino and Sakura it was just as Naruto predicted. Team Ten was Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji. Team Eight was Kiba, Shino and Sakura and Team Seven was Sasuke, Hinata, and Naruto. Hours pasted and the other teams' senseis came and went. Kurenai flashed Hinata an apologetic look when she collected her Genin, while Hinata couldn't be happier with the way things turned out. She couldn't believe she was on the same team as Naruto. She tried to think of something, anything, to say while they waited but her shyness got the best of her.

"That's it, I'm done restraining myself." Naruto said, getting up from his chair and walking over to the door. "What are you doing Dobe? There's nothing you can do that can fool THE Sharingan no Kakashi. Even Anbu-nee-chan spoke highly of him making him at least Anbu level." Naruto just ignored his friend's advice and used the Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hiding like a Mole technique) to burrow underground and can sense their sensei coming. Once Kakashi steps through the door, Naruto uses the Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu (Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique) to drag the Jonin up to his head in the ground. _"How in the hell can he use the Double Suicide Decapitation jutsu? His records show he could barely pull off the basic jutsu taught in the Academy!"_

The Kakashi in the ground goes poof, "Hmm how can I put this... My first impression is... I don't like any of you, especially the blonde." they were shocked to find the man right behind Naruto, who couldn't even sense him with his natural sensing ability; that required extreme skill since Naruto could sense even the smallest of chakra naturally. With that each of them Shunshin up to the roof, again shocking the Jonin with the skill each of them showed. _"What the hell did they teach these kids?!"_

"Ok... Let's begin with some introductions my little Genin. I'll go first by telling you my likes, dislikes, dreams for the future and hobbies. My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you guys my likes and dislikes as I don't think you're old enough to understand. Dreams for the future...? Hmm... I have lots of hobbies of the shinobi variety." Kakashi said with an eye smile, making the three of them sweat drop at the action. _"All we learned was his name... I was hoping to get some more information out of him."_

"Your turn blonde fox." Kakashi said, earning a glare from Naruto.

"Ok, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like training, cupped ramen, though I like Ichiraku Ramen the best! I like Suiyakuton, and all the friends I've made. I dislike people who can't tell the difference between a kunai and the scroll it's sealed in, the three minutes it takes to cook cupped ramen and judgmental people who judge without getting to know you first. My dream... My dream is to surpass the Hokages and protect the sanctity of the village; the people can go screw themselves. Hobbies are watering plants I guess." Naruto said. _"His loyalty to the village is shaky, better talk to the Hokage about it..."_

"Ok Red Eye it's your turn." Kakashi said, pointing at Sasuke, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things I dislike, but nothing compares to my dislike of fangirls. I like very few things besides training and the few friends I've managed to get. I wouldn't call my ambition a dream, because I will make it a reality. It is the resurrection of my clan... And to kill a certain man..." _"Well I figured as much. As least he's not a total emo avenger type. It seems he's built some relationships in the village, that should help him a bit."_

"And finally we have you Bright Eyes." Kakashi said pointing to Hinata, who blushes at being singled out. (AN: Just to point it out, I won't be writing out the whole Hinata stuttering but she will stutter. I don't like writing out her stutter because it honestly confuses me a bit how this should be done.)

"Um... I like training and...*blushes intensely* cinnamon rolls! Right cinnamon rolls... I dislike how the branch members are treated in my family and my dream is to unite the branch and main branches and to become the head of the clan. My hobby is pressing flowers and making my own healing ointments with Naruto-kun." Hinata stuttered. _"At least she's not like those other two only focusing on love instead of being kunoichi. Hopefully Kurenai and Asuma can break those two out of that mentality."_

"Alright enough of that shit. We will be starting our duties tomorrow, just the four of us and a little survival training." Kakashi said earning question marks from his Genin, "Survival Training?"

"Yes survival training with me as your opponent but this isn't normal training." Kakashi said with a chuckle.

"What's so funny Kakashi sensei?" Hinata asked with a stutter.

"Well... You see, there's a 66% chance of failure for this training. Those who do fail will be sent back to the Academy for four more years of remedial training." Kakashi said earning shocked looks from the trio.

"So what was the point of having us take an early graduation exam if you were going to throw this shit at us?!" Naruto yelled. Kakashi just laughed at the blonde's mini freak out, "Oh that? That was just to see if you had the chance to be Genin early or if you need to go back for another four years."

"Anyway, tomorrow you will be graded on the training field. Bring all your shinobi tools. Oh and skip breakfast, you'll just throw it up." with that Kakashi handed them a printout to stimulate a mission report and left via Shunshin.

* * *

I know I'm terrible for this, but I figured this was a good point to leave off. I realize my writing may seem a bit lazy, but come on! This has been re-written several dozen, if not thousands, of times. There's only so much you can really do so why elaborate on it? I got the information out and even threw in a fight at the beginning to grease the wheels so to speak. Hopefully I get more reviews for this chapter, but we'll just have to see.


	6. Chapter 6

I got a few reviews for the last chapter, most positive so I'm happy! I decided to get this one out as soon as possible since it will feature the Genin Exam battle! I think everyone will enjoy this chapter as it will not only feature the fight, but the Sandaime's talk about Naruto's mentality concerning the village. I think everyone will enjoy what he has to say and thank you **Zolydck **for the inspiration. I'll be using what you told me in your review with the Sandaime's reasoning behind why the villagers treat Naruto and try to convince Naruto they are not the evil beings he thinks they are.

* * *

Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

* * *

It was the next day and Team Seven was at the Third Training Ground waiting on their sensei. The Training Ground was ideal for training purposes, there was a view of mountains in the landscape and a large and deep river with forests in the both of its sides. There was a glade and in its centre there are three stumps lined side by side.

"Alright guy and girl, we need a plan to pass whatever test Kakashi-sensei will give us. I have a few ideas, but I'm open to suggestions." Naruto said, sitting on one of the stumps. Naruto was an expert at trap making thanks to Kyoodoo, who put a HUGE emphasis on stealth and trap setting on the fly. Sasuke knew this and trusted that Naruto would set up elaborate traps that might be enough to fool even Kakashi, since several of them were able to catch the female Anbu.

"Let's hear your ideas first and then we'll go from there. Hinata should use her Byakugan to scout and make sure Kakashi-sensei isn't nearby just waiting for the right moment to strike." Sasuke suggested. With a nod, Hinata activated her Byakugan and reported that their sensei wasn't in the area, "Awesome, ok I propose I set up some fuuinjutsu traps around the area. Hinata you and I have been training in taijutsu for years, so we'll start things off with a taijutsu blitz to test the waters. Sasuke, you and I have great collaboration with ninjutsu so we'll combine your ninjutsu with my Suiyakuton once you find an opening. No matter what we cannot deviate from this plan; none of us are good enough to take on a shinobi of Kakashi's caliber alone." both the Hyuuga and Uchiha nodded in agreement with the plan.

"Alright then let's get this started, Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Naruto declared, covering the area in smoke. When it cleared, Hinata and Sasuke were shocked to see a literal army of Narutos filling the area. With their orders already in mind, the clones began to carve seals in the ground using kunai and filling them with invisible ink. Once the seals were in place, they would place Cloak and Dagger seals to hide the engravings and make it look like there were no disturbances in the ground or trees.

"Say Naruto, I was thinking. I know a lot of Katon and Doton ninjutsu and you know some Fuuton ninjutsu along with a basic Katon jutsu used to start campfires. Do you have any potions that could amplify Katon or add more power to Doton?" Sasuke asked, wanting to know what the team was working with beforehand. Unsealing the large scroll from his back, he unraveled it and unsealed a few potions from it.

"I have Stamina potions, Ignition potions, Tremor potions, Valor potions, Swift potions, Katon potions, Fuuton potions and Bio potion. I suggest we combine your Katon jutsu with Ignition potions. Hinata you'll be taking a few stamina and valor potions to give yourself an edge. He'll most likely go off our files so he'll underestimate at the very least Hinata and I." Naruto explained handing the Hyuuga said potion bottles. She sealed them in a scroll and placed them in her holster.

Once Naruto's clones were done setting up their traps, Naruto called his two teammates over and explained to them where the traps were and what they did. Sasuke smirked at the ingenuity of his best friend while Hinata smiled shyly. She would do everything in her power not to fail herself and her comrades.

After a few more hours, Kakashi finally arrived with a good morning. He expected Naruto to yell at him for being late but only got a smirk from him and Sasuke. Setting down a timer he sets it for noon and pulled out two bells, "Your task is to get these two bells from me before noon. Those who don't get a bell will have the fortune to watch me eat lunch in front of them while they're tied to one of the stumps."

_"That sneaky Bastard... He tricked us into not eating to weaken us. Oh this doesn't bode well..." _Naruto thought as all three of their stomachs grumble from hunger.

"There are three of you and only two bells so one of you will be going hungry. Not only that but those who fail to get a bell will fail and be sent back to the Academy." Kakashi explained getting various reactions from the trio. Naruto growled trying to figure out the scarecrow's agenda. Sasuke glared at the one eyed Jonin intent on getting a bell. Hinata gasped in shock and worry.

"If you want to succeed you must come at me with the intent to kill." Kakashi said expecting them to fuss over how he would be in danger, but he got the opposite. Naruto and Sasuke smirked darkly but it was Hinata's reaction that scared him the most. A dark shadow casted over her face leaving only her big lavender eyes visible. Her stare seemed dead replacing her previous warmth with a coldness befitting a Hyuuga.

"We don't fight any other way..." Naruto said grimly before he rushed in with a kunai blindly causing Kakashi to sigh. Once Naruto was in range, Kakashi twisted his arm and got him in a grapple with the kunai aimed at the back of his head.

"I didn't say start now did I?" Kakashi said with an air of boredom. So much for the blonde being unpredictable.

"Sorry to disappoint you sensei but things aren't as they seem..." Naruto said before he impaled himself on the kunai much to the shock of Kakashi. Instead of blood mud gushed out and hardened trapping the Jonin in his place.

"Ya know I'm starting to like you guys. Let's begin shall we? Start!" Kakashi declared before he freed himself from the mud and saw the two remaining Genin dash off into the forest. It seemed they understood the first lesson of the shinobi: stealth.

"Come out and fight me!" Naruto challenged arrogantly. Kakashi sweat dropped at the blonde but after his display of using mud clones knew he couldn't just assume that was the real Naruto. He was being to see why his file said he was unpredictable. That meant he understood the second lesson of the Shinobi: deception.

Meanwhile the trio were well hidden up in a large tree. "Alright so he's clearly faster than even Kyoodoo-sensei. I doubt my clone can keep him distracted for long so when you see an opening signal for Hinata and I to begin the blitz." Sasuke nodded and activated his Sharingan, hoping the clone could make their sensei use a jutsu or two.

"Um... You're a little off..." Kakashi stated to the clone. The clone threw out an insult and rushed the Jonin, who dug into his pocket to get something. The clone stopped in its tracks, believing Kakashi was searching for a weapon.

"Shinobi fighting lesson #1: Taijutsu. I'll teach you about it." Kakashi said until he pulled out an orange book. "Huh? What's with the book, is that Icha Icha Paradise?" The clone didn't know whether to be impressed or insulted.

"Yes it is are you a reader? I'm on a really good part and decided to read on it. Don't worry about it, I doubt it'll make much difference against you guys." Kakashi said. The clone rushed the Jonin and threw a punch that was blocked, then he threw a knee strike that was blocked also. Then he threw a kick aimed at Kakashi's head that he ducked under. Next the clone tried to punch the Jonin but was confused when he punched nothing but air.

"A shinobi isn't supposed to be caught from behind baka." Kakashi said, his fingers in the tiger hand seal. From their hiding spaces the trio look on in worry at the seal for fire ninjutsu; if that had been Naruto he would be in real danger. It seemed their sensei wasn't kidding around.

"Sennen Goroshi (One Thousand Years of Death)!" Kakashi declared with a twinkle in his eye. He jabbed his fingers up the clone's ass and sent him flying only to dispel soon after. Kakashi giggled at a certain part of the book and turned the page. From the nearby lake two shuriken shot out and aimed for the Jonin, who caught them effortlessly without taking his eyes of his book.

Suddenly several clones burst from the lake and forest and rushed Kakashi. One clone in particular had a dark look on its face. The clones swarmed on Kakashi, who dodged and dispelled a few in seconds with one hand but after the fourth clone dispelled it burst into mud and coated the Jonin in sticky mud. _"He mixed mud clones with Kage Bunshin?! How many clone Justus does this kid know?"_ the dark clone was the only one left and it seemed to be smarter than its brethren. Every time Kakashi went to hit it, it would either spin or bend out of the way and counter with swift palm strikes. When Kakashi went for a chop to the head, it ducked and lashed out with swift palm strikes, before backing off. These hit and run tactics were effective as the clone was swift. Aiming a heel kick at it's stomach, the clone bent backwards, caught the leg, and struck it several times before backing off.

Kakashi and the clone were like two dancers, moving to a phantom beat only they could hear. Having enough of the dance, Kakashi put his book away and grabbed the clone by the wrist before bringing it into a knee-elbow combo to the solar plexus and back. The clone went proof but when the smoke cleared Hinata appeared, nursing her aching stomach. Before he could capitalize, a pair of hands grabbed his ankles, Hinata threw a potion bottle on the ground and unleashed a near invisible vapor in the air. Sasuke leaped from a tree with his hands in the tiger hand seal.

"Katon: Joonetsu no Furuutsu (Fire Release: Fruits of Passion)!" Sasuke declared. Thrusting his fists rapidly, plumes of fire were released in rapid succession making a literal rain of fire on Kakashi. _"What the hell were they teaching these kids?! First Naruto can use Doton ninjutsu and now Sauke can use original Katon jutsu?!" _ the raining fire pelted the Jonin with balls of fire and thanks to the vapor in the air, the flames became a huge explosion that rocked the training grounds.

Thanks to his Sharingan, Sasuke saw Kakashi and Hinata use the kawarimi to escape. Sasuke smirked as Naruto and Hinata appeared on either side of him. Kakashi was in a tree trying to collect himself after escaping the deadly combo. He was slightly singed but unharmed. He looked at his students and his eyes widened when he saw Naruto flash a hand seal. From behind him a seal came to life and unleashed a powerful explosion! He managed to leap away just in time but the second he touched the ground, another trap seal was set off. This trap unleashed dozens of kunai that embedded in his chest only to be revealed to be a log. While Kakashi was busy avoiding the traps, "Time for the second sonata." With a grin all three drank a potion and disappeared.

Kakashi had just evaded a fire seal trap when he smelled his students were coming in fast! He looked around but couldn't see them when suddenly he felt one of his arms go limp from having chakra points closed. Rolling up his sleeve he saw several bruises signifying his earlier exchange with Hinata bore fruit for her. She was aiming for chakra points that would gradually make his arm useless with time instead of just aiming for obvious disabling ones.

Before he could try opening them, a massive fireball came out of seemingly nowhere! He dodged it and felt a strike to his leg that caused it to go numb. Then he felt a kick to the face that sent him stumbling a few inches. The invisible assault was wearing the Jonin down as several chakra points were closed, brawler like blows hit him from all over and he had to constantly dodge fireballs. It was like phantoms had haunted him and were tormenting him with invisible fury.

With one powerful strike to the chest, it was finally over. The trio finally appeared as the effects of the potion wore off. They cautiously walked over to the downed Jonin. Suddenly several hands popped out of the ground and dragged them to their heads in the ground.

"Well I am impressed. You really gave my Mud Clone a run for its money. I have heard rumors about Suiyakuton made potions but seeing is believing. To think it made you completely invisible even to my Sharingan is nothing short of phenomenal. I didn't even get to teach you about ninjutsu or genjutsu, it seems you all have a solid grasp on things, but you still didn't get the bells." Kakashi said just as the timer goes off. The trio lower their heads as a wave of depression washed over them. Even with teamwork they still failed it seemed.

"Where did the time go? I guess the only thing to do now is to... Pass each and everyone one of you." Kakashi said with an eye smile. The three would have face faulted if they could, "What do you mean we pass, none of us go close to getting a bell!"

"Ah but getting the bells wasn't the real test. No Genin fresh out of the Academy should be able to take on a Jonin with years of experience under his belt. The purpose was to see if you could put aside your own personal interest and successfully work as a team. It's the reason you were put on teams in the first place and I gotta say bravo! You didn't even figure out the true purpose of the test and yet you still worked together effectively. You all pass with flying colors, congratulations Team Seven and remember this. Those who break the rules and codes of shinobi are trash. Those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash." Kakashi said looking over at the memorial stone at a particular name. With that the Jonin left via Shunshin and Naruto and Sasuke dug themselves out rather easily using a burst of chakra; wasn't like it was their first time being caught in that jutsu. Naruto gave Hinata a hand and Sasuke snickered at the ever present blush on Hinata's face.

"Man Hinata, if your face gets any redder people will mistake you for a tomato or something. Anyway, good job out there. You've successfully kept your 'kunoichi face' the entire battle and didn't doubt yourself once. If only you could do that outside of battles, you'd be golden." Sasuke teased before he left in a Shunshin as well, leaving the two of them alone. _"Damn you Sasuke-kun! Always making fun of me, when he do the same thing around Ayame-chan; damn hypocrite."_

"Say Hinata-chan, how's about we go to that Barbecue place to celebrate becoming an official team?" Naruto asked with a bright smile. Hinata's blush got more intense at the notion, _"Did you just ask me... On a date?! Calm down girl... It's just a friendly date... But it has the word date and Naruto... EEEEEEE!"_

"Sure Naruto-kun, I'd love to." Hinata stuttered horribly, but Naruto seemed to understand her just fine. The two walked in a comfortable silence, each with various things on their minds. Naruto tried his best to not picture Hinata naked, while Hinata fantasized about them doing things couples did like feeding each other, holding hands... Even kissing! As they made there way through the village, Hinata noticed the way the villagers seemed to avoid Naruto, something she had noticed a long time ago, but what scared her was Naruto's reaction. Gone was the happy-go-lucky boy she knew and had a strong crush on and in his place was a stoic and blank boy, who showed no emotion whatsoever. Once they were at the Barbecue place, they saw teams ten and eight were already seated near each other and exchanging some laughs and stories. _"So much for alone time with Naruto..."_ Once the teams saw Naruto and Hinata, they called them over to seat by them.

"Hey guys, where's Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked, wanting to see the boy of her affections. Naruto just sighed at her, "Nice to see you too Ino-chan. He left because he couldn't stand the thought of being social ya know how it goes. Anyway, how did you all do on your test?" Ino deflated at Sasuke's absence, but perked up at the mention of their test.

"Man you should have seen us! We were like a well oiled machine! I'll spare you the boring stuff and skip right to the action! You see, our test was to capture Asuma-sensei and interrogate him on where the bells were to pass the test. Turns out the real test was teamwork and boy did we have that down packed! It all started when Shikamaru..." Ino began as she told them the story of how they passed their test.

**Flashback...**

"Nikudan Hari Sensha (Spiked Human Bullet Tank)!" Choji yelled, first using the Multi-Size jutsu to make himself into a human-sized ball, then he tucked in his limbs and used chakra to propel himself into a powerful roll, a net of kunai making his form spiked. Asuma found himself hard pressed to dodge, since every time he did, Choji would use chakra to propel himself in his direction. _"Damn, I thought it was hard to turn with that jutsu!"_

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was hiding in the forest, where the shadows were thickest. He was tracking Asuma's movements carefully and just when he thought the Jonin was distracted, "Kagemane no jutsu (Shadow Imitation Technique)!" Using the shadows of the forest gave the Nara a longer shadow, so he split it in half to throw Asuma off his location. The shadows slinked towards Asuma, who dodged just in time to avoid being caught. They chased him for a while, until they reached their stretching limit and retracted back to the Nara. Before Asuma could breathe a sigh of relief, Choji came rolling in trying to crush him underneath his massive bullet form. Meanwhile, Ino was readying a jutsu of her own, trying to aim carefully.

Asuma dodged Choji and landed right on top of Ino's paralysis seal hidden in the ground. Unlike Naruto, her seals had to be written on sealing paper and covered by dirt carefully as to not ruin the sealing array. _"One of them can do fuuinjutsu?!" _with her opponent paralyzed, Ino completed her hand seals in a matter of seconds.

"Raiton: Inazuma Tooka (Lightning Release: Lightning Transmission)!" Ino chanted. From her hands, a streak of lightning raced towards Asuma at break neck speeds. Asuma fought through his paralysis and managed to kawarimi with a nearby squirrel just in time to avoid being electrocuted. Much to his shock, Ino held a hand seal and controlled the flow of the jutsu to miss the animal and crash into the ground. Choji regrouped next to Ino, who needed a moment to locate their sensei. Using her abilities as a Sensor, she pointed out his location in a tree. Choji resumed his human bullet tank form and used tree climbing to roll up the tree and nearly pulverized the shocked Asuma, who dodged just in time for another lightning transmission from Ino. Asuma dodged the jutsu as best he could, seeing as Ino was controlling the flow of the jutsu. Soon Ino grew tired and the jutsu dispersed. Choji fell from the sky like a meteor in his human bullet tank form and almost flattened Asuma.

His plan was to just wear them out until the end, but their teamwork was surprisingly good. Suddenly, he felt himself go stiff and looked down to see Shikamaru had successfully caught him in his kagemane. To his shock, the Nara had used Choji's human bullet tank to create a large shadow and connected his with it to extend his shadow even more to capture him. "Ino hurry up and get the information with your Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)!" before she could complete the hand seal, the timer went off...

**Flashback ends...**

"After that he passed us and we came here to celebrate." Ino told them finishing her story. Naruto was impressed that she kept up with her fuuinjutsu studies even after failing to become an apprentice. "Say Ino-chan, if you really want to get Sasuke's attention, might I suggest you show him a few raiton manipulation exercises and maybe a ninjutsu or two? He is a Raiton user after all." Ino beamed at the thought of teaching her Sasuke-kun about Raiton since she too was a Raiton user. Not wanting to waste anytime, she bolted from the table in search of the Uchiha. Not wanting to lose to her rival, Sakura chased after her. She knew a few katon jutsu thanks to the library and was a Katon user herself, something she knew most Uchihas were; he would value his heritage over anything!

Everyone shared a laugh at the two girls, before their meat arrived and they enjoyed themselves. The food was great and it felt good to be surrounded by people who just genuinely enjoyed each others' company. That was what Naruto strove and fought for, to protect moments like that. Moments were friends could be friends in peace and not have to worry about anything. Once their meals were done and Kiba stopped bragging about himself, everyone went there separate ways. Just as Naruto was leaving for home, Kakashi appeared and told him the Hokage wanted to see him. Making his way to the Academy, Naruto suppressed the dark emotions inside of him at the hateful glares he received. Sure they were subtle about it and he couldn't exactly see them, but he could still feel it.

Something screamed at him to lash out, to make them regret what they put him through on a daily basis, but he ignored it and continued to the academy. Once there, he said hello to Kikyo, who smiled and ushered him into the office. There, the Sandaime was busy working on a complex sealing array with all of his paperwork done; Naruto wondered how he got it all done so quickly.

"Ah Naruto, come and sit with me my boy." The Sandaime said warmly. Naruto just shrugged and did as told as he looked at the sealing array the old man was working on. "So what's up Jiji?"

"I'll get to that in a minute Naruto-kun, but first a lesson in fuuinjutsu. You see this seal? This is the seal used to hold a Bijuu inside a Jinchuuriki. Can you tell me what you see?" The Sandaime asked as Naruto was confused but looked at the seal anyway. He was only at level three currently, but even he could see the seal was weak at best, damn near unusable at worst.

"Whoever made it is a real amateur, they placed an odd number over an even numbered sealing array. The containing seal isn't done properly, I'd say this seal would break at worst and allow the Bijuu to manipulate the host at best. Why is this important?" Naruto asked. He may not be a seal master yet, but he did know a thing or two about seals and Bijuu. If the seal was even a little weak, the Bijuu could manipulate its host to whatever degree the seal was weakened. He also knew it took months, if not years depending on the Bijuu, of preparation to make a seal strong enough to contain a Bijuu. Most villages had seals prepared for just such an emergency, his own seal being one of them.

"This seal is currently being used to contain Shikaku, the Ichibi of Sunagakure. I had one of my students sneak into the village and copy the blueprints of their seal to compare it to yours. It is clear our seal is superior but thank you for making my point more clear. Their current Jinchuuriki is berserk due to the way the villager's treat him yes, but also because of his tenant. I was told how you feel about the villagers Naruto-kun." The Sandaime explained.

"Don't try and convince me that their fear is clouding their judgement and they're all good people underneath all that! I'm an innocent in this situation, I didn't ask to be a Jinchuuriki and yet they treat me like I did! They treat me like I don't exist and WORSE some of them wanted to kill me! Instead of getting over their grief and fear they chose to pretend it doesn't exist by ignoring me! Why should I be the bigger person and forgive them, I'm twelve they're grown ass adults!" Naruto yelled getting all his frustration and hurt out as tears stung at the corner of his eyes just waiting to fall.

"I'm not asking you to forgive them Naruto, just to look at things from their perspective. Think about when you used the Kyuubi's chakra the time you were attacked. How did it make you feel?" The Sandaime asked.

"It made me feel powerful and yet I felt an uncontrollable rage. Like I had lost myself to my anger and would destroy anything in my way." Naruto said, remembering the frightening experience far too well. It was like the chakra represented all the anger and rage he suppressed throughout his life and it felt awful.

"Exactly, the Kyuubi's chakra is the embodiment of negative emotions. The stronger you feel them, the easier the Kyuubi's chakra can leak out. Imagine you're sparing and you feel intense negative emotions, what's stopping the Kyuubi's chakra from leaking out and you going too far? Word travels fast my boy. Even the civilians have heard of the Suna Jinchuuriki status as a berserker. He is the worst case scenario for a Jinchuuriki, the darkness and loneliness has completely consumed him. He kills his own villagers to prove his existence, don't be like him Naruto-kun. Allow your bonds to strength your resolve and let their love conquer the darkness in your heart. You have so many people that love and care about you Naruto-kun, don't let what the majority say or do corrupt you." The Sandaime said hugging the boy as if he were his own grandson. Naruto was speechless at the embrace, having been starved for such attention his whole life. He hugged the old man for dear life and let some tears fall at how good it felt to be held.

"I'm not going to just forgive them right off the bat... It's going to take time Jiji... Just give me some time." Naruto said, deciding that indifference was better than outright hatred like he felt before. He still didn't like the way he was treated and may never truly forgive them, but he was welling to try at least. "I'm not asking you to forgive them for their sake. I'm asking you to forgive them for yours. Take all the time you need Naruto-kun." The Sandaime wished Naruto luck and sent the boy on his way. While walking through the village, he could still feel their hatred of him, but for once he wore a small smile. Understanding their actions helped him just a little bit.

* * *

Well I hoped you liked this chapter! For those of you wondering, I excluded Team Eight's test because I plan to use them for later chapters and want to keep their abilities a secret. The next chapter is where I start what will be dubbed "Naruto and the Yin-Yang Princess"! It will be an arc that will be a couple of chapters long, three to six though that is a guess really. It will be a long mission, the first C rank mission they get that will take a turn for the worse! I'm looking forward to writing it actually haha. Anyway please review my story as you can see your reviews matter to me and may, I say may, influence how I write this. I know some are disappointed in the pairing, but I made a decision and have to live with it. I know one reviewer said I forced the Hinata pairing in there, but she was meant to come when she did. I couldn't just have them meet in the first two chapters because it just didn't fit to me. I will also be including Tenten in the next few chapters as an add on to Team Seven for the mission only for those wondering what she's been up to. No Lee and Neji will not be joining her on the mission.


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